This is an interesting topic. Mostly because a lot of it deals with what if. I loved this class and what it's taught me, the discussions we've had, and the ideas we've thrown around. But I keep coming back to one thing. We are all FIJI. This is one group, who are different people but share very similar values, out of how many other fraternities there are throughout Ohio State. I know for a fact that a lot of them do not share the same values we do which makes it hard for me to wrap my head around "just us" having developed this ideal Fraternal Movement. Having said all that I understand that this is the type of movement and direction we want to be moving towards. It's just hard for me to talk about this topic with the above constantly berrating my mind.
Anyway our movement as many of the same goals that the one we live in today has. Obviously we want to advertise the good that Greek life does and hopefully get rid of all the bad publicity. The sad thing is the world today still believes that greek life is all "animal house" antics. The only way to get rid of that is to give the public more information about what it is Greek life is a part of and what it accomplishes. In addition a big part of our FM is the development of individuals as a person. While not all of greek life develops the type of character that FIJI's approve of I do believe that Greek Society as a whole emphasizes this in all of the people involved.
As for the difference I think the major difference is the way our councils are set up. These councils would incorporate members of every Fraternity and Sorority, respectively, and join them a single body to hear everyone's opinions, complaints, etc. This is quite the contrary to what we have now. While I think what we have now worked because of major issues in the past I think it needs to evolve and change to adapt to the specific issues of today. the issues of the past are not as prevalent, still there though, and by keeping groups separated we continue to make the issues of the past an issue during the present. Another major difference and one that I fully support is our ideal of Collaboration EVERYWHERE and between EVERYONE. I even consider myself guilty of this from time to time. In order to revolutionize Greek society Fraternities and sororities must be willing to collaborate with one another on a daily basis. Not once every 10 weeks. The more man power that is behind a SINGLE MOVEMENT the more it stands out and the more pressure it can put on society. In the end this makes the movement more successful and more effective.
These are the major difference and similarities, in my opinion, but of course there are plenty more where those come from. The key for me is to never settle for what we're at now. Once change starts to take place is when we work harder and harder. After we gain momentum is not the time to stop and congratulate ourselves. Making our Fraternal Movement a reality will take years of constant struggle and effort. But I know I speak for our entire class when I say we are willing to put forth that time and effort.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Change Agent
When reading this chapter in our text book a few things jumped out at me. The first of which was Collective Efficacy. One person can do a little bit, but a group of people can do a lot. If you have a group of people that are passionate, involved, and believe in what they are doing then they can be an unstopable force in creating change. A change agent is responsible to build this Collective Efficacy in order to create social change. No matter who they are no one can stand alone. I think this is probably one of the hardest things to do. To build a group from the ground up with people who like you, share in the same vision, but have different approaches and then maintaining that group to create change. It has to be one of the hardest parts to accomplish in creating change.
Another was the Facilitating The Change Process. This section talked about being open to change yourself. And of course having the willingness to accept changes for the better of the group. In my head, while I was reading this part, I was going through what I thought a person would encompass during this. Facilitating Change does not necessarily mean you are at the forefront and leading the charge. It might mean you're the quiet one who maintains the group and keeps them on task and focused on the problems at hand. Maybe your the one that asks about the opinions of others who are more reluctant to just shout them out. a person who Facilitates the Change Process can come in all shapes and sizes. That got me thinging about a Change agent in general.
In my opinion being a change agent will never be a uniform task. Much of the type of person you will be will depend on what social change you are trying to implement. There might be a time where you have to fight tooth and nail to gain even an inch of ground in the right direction. There could be times where you have to do hours and hours of paper work and emailing to gain that type o grind. Either way a change agent must do whatever they're called to implement their desired change. Without question I believe the ideal of a change agent is unique for every person, and every situation. Ha get it it's a constantly changing Change Agent. Try saying that 5 times fast.
I'd like to end with another little sub-heading I believe to be very important. "Experience is the Best Teacher". Such a simple little phrase but what a profound truth it holds. Our experiences are what have shaped our life. Without them we wouldn't be who we are today. We are constantly learning from our experiences, whether through failure or through success. Each and every experience teaches us something different. Some unique thought or idea that had eluded us before. I think this is very important to keep in mind. Especially when it comes to the rollercoaster ride that Social Change usually consists of. It's not always gonna be happiness and success. Failure and depression will also be a part of any change agent. However learning from those failures can mean all the difference in becoming a change agent and creating a better society for everyone.
Sorry this was so long. It was a really interesting chapter. See you all in class!
Another was the Facilitating The Change Process. This section talked about being open to change yourself. And of course having the willingness to accept changes for the better of the group. In my head, while I was reading this part, I was going through what I thought a person would encompass during this. Facilitating Change does not necessarily mean you are at the forefront and leading the charge. It might mean you're the quiet one who maintains the group and keeps them on task and focused on the problems at hand. Maybe your the one that asks about the opinions of others who are more reluctant to just shout them out. a person who Facilitates the Change Process can come in all shapes and sizes. That got me thinging about a Change agent in general.
In my opinion being a change agent will never be a uniform task. Much of the type of person you will be will depend on what social change you are trying to implement. There might be a time where you have to fight tooth and nail to gain even an inch of ground in the right direction. There could be times where you have to do hours and hours of paper work and emailing to gain that type o grind. Either way a change agent must do whatever they're called to implement their desired change. Without question I believe the ideal of a change agent is unique for every person, and every situation. Ha get it it's a constantly changing Change Agent. Try saying that 5 times fast.
I'd like to end with another little sub-heading I believe to be very important. "Experience is the Best Teacher". Such a simple little phrase but what a profound truth it holds. Our experiences are what have shaped our life. Without them we wouldn't be who we are today. We are constantly learning from our experiences, whether through failure or through success. Each and every experience teaches us something different. Some unique thought or idea that had eluded us before. I think this is very important to keep in mind. Especially when it comes to the rollercoaster ride that Social Change usually consists of. It's not always gonna be happiness and success. Failure and depression will also be a part of any change agent. However learning from those failures can mean all the difference in becoming a change agent and creating a better society for everyone.
Sorry this was so long. It was a really interesting chapter. See you all in class!
SCM model
I would like to start out by saying that I think the Social Change Model is a very interesting read. While yes it was very repetitive there was a lot of different information in the textbook that captured my attention. And that's where i'll begin.
The Social Change Model covered a lot of areas that are very familiar to me. Controversy with Civility, Commitment, Congruence, Collaboration, etc. were all values that i've come in contact with throughout my entire life. In essence they were things i've enacted and lived by every single day. However, specific words and definitions eluded me until I read our textbook. It was almost as if I had a "a ha" moment while reading the later chapters. Something just clicked. I have been searching for so long for ways to give a definition to my leadership style, or the way i go about handling things, or the way I interact with people but I was never able to. I could never put it into words. That is until I started reading our textbook and the SCM. In a way after reading it I almost felt enlightened. Like a burning desire to put into words the way I felt and the way I acted everyday had finally been achieved. I'm not even sure i'm making sense because that's how hard I find it to try and put this type of stuff into words. For the most part this is what the Social Change Model brought to me. It brought me a better understanding of myself and the way I feel towards each of the areas our textbook covered. It didn't necessarily introduce me to any new concepts but it was instrumental in me understanding more in depth material that things like Conflict with Civility and maintaining Congruence covers.
Sorry this was such a short post but i'm still finding it hard to put into words what the SCM model has done for me. Please feel free to comment and i'm sorry if it was hard to understand!
The Social Change Model covered a lot of areas that are very familiar to me. Controversy with Civility, Commitment, Congruence, Collaboration, etc. were all values that i've come in contact with throughout my entire life. In essence they were things i've enacted and lived by every single day. However, specific words and definitions eluded me until I read our textbook. It was almost as if I had a "a ha" moment while reading the later chapters. Something just clicked. I have been searching for so long for ways to give a definition to my leadership style, or the way i go about handling things, or the way I interact with people but I was never able to. I could never put it into words. That is until I started reading our textbook and the SCM. In a way after reading it I almost felt enlightened. Like a burning desire to put into words the way I felt and the way I acted everyday had finally been achieved. I'm not even sure i'm making sense because that's how hard I find it to try and put this type of stuff into words. For the most part this is what the Social Change Model brought to me. It brought me a better understanding of myself and the way I feel towards each of the areas our textbook covered. It didn't necessarily introduce me to any new concepts but it was instrumental in me understanding more in depth material that things like Conflict with Civility and maintaining Congruence covers.
Sorry this was such a short post but i'm still finding it hard to put into words what the SCM model has done for me. Please feel free to comment and i'm sorry if it was hard to understand!
FIJI Strenghts and those other areas
In my opinion FIJI has a lot of strenghts. The first and foremost is our morals. I believe, while many of us might stumble (myself included) that we stay congruent to the values we believe in. We are a fraternity that says one thing and then makes sure our actions and conduct exemplify what we proclaim. In other words we act the way we speak. I think this is a very important strength because not all fraternitites do this. How many fraternities say "we don't haze" and then how many actually follow that. I KNOW that we don't haze and we're very adament about following that policy. But i know of other fraternities who do not.
Another strength is our push to be the best in academics. We are very good about holding people responsible for their grades and pushing them to be the best they can be. I know I could turn to any one of my brothers if I needed help in a class. It's very comforting knowing each and every one of us is there for one another, whether its academics, you need a favor, or you just need someone to talk to.
I also think our dedication to being the best we can be is an impressive strengh. We are always striving to do/be better than before. The red bull chariot race challenge, greek week, academics, brotherhood, it doesn't matter what category it falls in. Our dedication at working hard to be the best is one of our greatest strengths.
For areas where we need improvement I will be echoing a lot of brothers. Social and Recruitment are probably one of our weaker areas at the moment.
The social aspect of the fraternity I'm as much to blame as anyone. I understand this is important to many brothers and I should be more open to these kinds of get togethers and facilitate as much as possible my brothers and mine interactions with sororities. I understand it is a great way to get our name out there as well as have a good time in the process. I have not done a good job in thinking about TG's and various other social aspects as I could and I would like to apologize for that. Next quarter I plan on doing better and hope that FIJI as a whole does better.
As for recruitment I am responsible for a lot of blame in this area too. I have not been very active on the recruiting trail and next quarter I plan on turning that around. I already have a few guys in mind that I would like to have come by the house more and meet my brothers. While I don't think this is a weakness there is definitely room for improvement and it all starts with me and my brothers finding guys around campus that we know would be good FIJI's.
Another strength is our push to be the best in academics. We are very good about holding people responsible for their grades and pushing them to be the best they can be. I know I could turn to any one of my brothers if I needed help in a class. It's very comforting knowing each and every one of us is there for one another, whether its academics, you need a favor, or you just need someone to talk to.
I also think our dedication to being the best we can be is an impressive strengh. We are always striving to do/be better than before. The red bull chariot race challenge, greek week, academics, brotherhood, it doesn't matter what category it falls in. Our dedication at working hard to be the best is one of our greatest strengths.
For areas where we need improvement I will be echoing a lot of brothers. Social and Recruitment are probably one of our weaker areas at the moment.
The social aspect of the fraternity I'm as much to blame as anyone. I understand this is important to many brothers and I should be more open to these kinds of get togethers and facilitate as much as possible my brothers and mine interactions with sororities. I understand it is a great way to get our name out there as well as have a good time in the process. I have not done a good job in thinking about TG's and various other social aspects as I could and I would like to apologize for that. Next quarter I plan on doing better and hope that FIJI as a whole does better.
As for recruitment I am responsible for a lot of blame in this area too. I have not been very active on the recruiting trail and next quarter I plan on turning that around. I already have a few guys in mind that I would like to have come by the house more and meet my brothers. While I don't think this is a weakness there is definitely room for improvement and it all starts with me and my brothers finding guys around campus that we know would be good FIJI's.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Service
So i'm gonna take this in a different direction also. I am a part of Buckeyethon and i'm really happy with the message and the goals that this organization markets for itself. Because of being on Buckeyethon I have had multiple opportunities to work closely with the kids who have have been/are being treated by the Children's Hospital. It has been some of the most rewarding experiences of my life. We've put on halloween parties, movie nights, and various other events like that where we get to hang out with the kids and remind ourselves the motivation behind what we do. These kids are special in so many ways. Some of their stories are just unbelievable. And despite all they go through they always have a smile on their face.
I can't begin to explain the impact this has had on me. I am thankful every day for my friends, family, and my health. I am capable of taking part in so much without being hindered by anything. To hear some of the stories of what these kids have gone through and to see how happy they are in doing the simplest of things, it never gets old. It reminds me of how grateful I need to be for all the blessings in my life. And the best thing is, it motivates us all (Buckeyethon) to raise as much money as possible to help these kids even more. Some of the most rewarding experiences are seeing the people you're trying to help smile and laugh like they don't have a care in the world. That is the kind of affect Buckeyethon has had on me.
Spending time with these kids has really opened my eyes to what kind of services are out there. Community Service comes in all shapes and sizes and sometime it can affect one person (like Quintero's email buddy) or multiple people. In the end Service is about bettering the lives of others who are less fortunate, or less able to participate in the things that we are blessed to be able to do. This one organization has showed me how blessed I am and how important it is to give back to my community. Not only will I become a better person but I have the ability to CHANGE someone's life for the better. That, in itself, is motivation enough for me.
I can't begin to explain the impact this has had on me. I am thankful every day for my friends, family, and my health. I am capable of taking part in so much without being hindered by anything. To hear some of the stories of what these kids have gone through and to see how happy they are in doing the simplest of things, it never gets old. It reminds me of how grateful I need to be for all the blessings in my life. And the best thing is, it motivates us all (Buckeyethon) to raise as much money as possible to help these kids even more. Some of the most rewarding experiences are seeing the people you're trying to help smile and laugh like they don't have a care in the world. That is the kind of affect Buckeyethon has had on me.
Spending time with these kids has really opened my eyes to what kind of services are out there. Community Service comes in all shapes and sizes and sometime it can affect one person (like Quintero's email buddy) or multiple people. In the end Service is about bettering the lives of others who are less fortunate, or less able to participate in the things that we are blessed to be able to do. This one organization has showed me how blessed I am and how important it is to give back to my community. Not only will I become a better person but I have the ability to CHANGE someone's life for the better. That, in itself, is motivation enough for me.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Dilemma Facing the Fraternal Movement
Well i'm just gonna jump right into it. I think the biggest problem is the stigma of "animal house" that has branded fraternities. I was a victim of it. My parents were victims of it. While both their's and mind has been changed that is only because I was lucky enough to find FIJI. If i had not been a part of this fraternity then I think I would still have the same attitude towards fraternities that I had growing up. I think the biggest challenge we face is how to we make that mentality disappear?
I remember when we talked about this in class and some interesting thoughts came up. More often than not "News" that gets around to schools and campuses and into people's homes is of the negative sort. Look at today's media. Very little is talked about unless it's in a "tragic" tone of voice. I think that is one of the problems Greek Life faces. Everyone knows about the bad things that happens but very little is done to promote the good that Greek life does
Another area is particularly troublesome in my mind. We have a saying that it only takes one person to screw things up for the rest of us. Well that goes for all of the Greek communtiy as well. It only takes one fraternity to make a ghastly decision whose consequences will screw us all over. Does anyone else feel like we're fighting an uphill battle? I do. I know how this fraternity has changed my life and my parents do as well. But how do we get others to know that. Especially one's who are not directly affected by Greek life.
I know this doesn't exactly answer the dilemma but i'm not sure I have one at the moment. It's a problem that is not gonna change unless a long term (many years) plan has been developed.
I remember when we talked about this in class and some interesting thoughts came up. More often than not "News" that gets around to schools and campuses and into people's homes is of the negative sort. Look at today's media. Very little is talked about unless it's in a "tragic" tone of voice. I think that is one of the problems Greek Life faces. Everyone knows about the bad things that happens but very little is done to promote the good that Greek life does
Another area is particularly troublesome in my mind. We have a saying that it only takes one person to screw things up for the rest of us. Well that goes for all of the Greek communtiy as well. It only takes one fraternity to make a ghastly decision whose consequences will screw us all over. Does anyone else feel like we're fighting an uphill battle? I do. I know how this fraternity has changed my life and my parents do as well. But how do we get others to know that. Especially one's who are not directly affected by Greek life.
I know this doesn't exactly answer the dilemma but i'm not sure I have one at the moment. It's a problem that is not gonna change unless a long term (many years) plan has been developed.
Brotherhood Vs Socials
So my extra blog doesn't have a video in it about the stupid things people do to give greek life a bad name. It's more of a topic that's been on my mind ever since I joined FIJI. I'm just very curious to get everyone's opinion and I hope that's alright and not against what were supposed to use as an extra blog. The question I'm asking is essentiall do you put on a different face around sororities? Now I understand this is kind of a cloudy question but please try to answer honestly. I want to hear everyone's opinion on it. Of course you can start by reading mine and then go in your own direction with it but please comment. I'm very curious as to how my brothers feel about this.
I joined FIJI because I saw brotherhood. Growing up with two older sisters it was not something I was accustomed to or familiar with by any means. I've been in more petty little fights with my sisters than I care to rehash, but i'm getting off topic. When I was first introduced to FIJI something inside me just clicked. It was like I finally found a piece of me that had been missing for my entire life. It was awesome and I've not regretted my decision since.
Then of course there is the social aspect of the Fraternity. I understand that we are a Social fraternity and want to have good times with Sororities. I have no qualm with that and genuinely support that ideal. However, I have been to 3 socials throughout the time that i've been a part of FIJI. Each one of them sucked. I'm not a shy guy so I don't mind introducing myself to girls and starting a conversation with them. At 2 of the TG's i even grabbed Mufasa and took him over to a group with me (Cause he's HOT) to try and get the girls to have a conversation with us. When they weren't on their phone texting or calling someone they were getting drinks and standing in an impenetrable circle of girls. It's annoying but that isn't really what bothers me the most.
More than a few brothers put on this facade when we go to these things and pretend to be someone their not. I don't know whether they think the girls will like them more or they're just putting on a show but it really upsets me. Mostly because the facade they put on is detrimental to what FIJI stands for. As soon as there are girls around us it's like they're a different person entirely. Many times i've been put down by people who would never say anything of the sort if it were just guys. Now don't get me wrong, I can take a joke but there is a difference between sarcasm and belittling someone continuously. I hate the idea that people do this. I joined FIJI because I loved what it stood for and the "Gentlemanly" attitude that we represent. When it's thrown back in my face at these socials, I just can't express in words how much this upsets me. It's not an isolated incident either. I have been to 3 TG's and at each one something like this has occurred.
I have been to a ton of brotherhood events and don't have a negative thing to say about it. Yes sometimes there are arguments and emotions run high but that's what a family does. They argue and get angry but in the end you know that each one of us is there for one another.
Anyway sorry if this was a long reading but this is something that has bothered me since I joined FIJI and I felt like this was a good time to throw it out there. Please comment I would love to know what everyone thinks!
I joined FIJI because I saw brotherhood. Growing up with two older sisters it was not something I was accustomed to or familiar with by any means. I've been in more petty little fights with my sisters than I care to rehash, but i'm getting off topic. When I was first introduced to FIJI something inside me just clicked. It was like I finally found a piece of me that had been missing for my entire life. It was awesome and I've not regretted my decision since.
Then of course there is the social aspect of the Fraternity. I understand that we are a Social fraternity and want to have good times with Sororities. I have no qualm with that and genuinely support that ideal. However, I have been to 3 socials throughout the time that i've been a part of FIJI. Each one of them sucked. I'm not a shy guy so I don't mind introducing myself to girls and starting a conversation with them. At 2 of the TG's i even grabbed Mufasa and took him over to a group with me (Cause he's HOT) to try and get the girls to have a conversation with us. When they weren't on their phone texting or calling someone they were getting drinks and standing in an impenetrable circle of girls. It's annoying but that isn't really what bothers me the most.
More than a few brothers put on this facade when we go to these things and pretend to be someone their not. I don't know whether they think the girls will like them more or they're just putting on a show but it really upsets me. Mostly because the facade they put on is detrimental to what FIJI stands for. As soon as there are girls around us it's like they're a different person entirely. Many times i've been put down by people who would never say anything of the sort if it were just guys. Now don't get me wrong, I can take a joke but there is a difference between sarcasm and belittling someone continuously. I hate the idea that people do this. I joined FIJI because I loved what it stood for and the "Gentlemanly" attitude that we represent. When it's thrown back in my face at these socials, I just can't express in words how much this upsets me. It's not an isolated incident either. I have been to 3 TG's and at each one something like this has occurred.
I have been to a ton of brotherhood events and don't have a negative thing to say about it. Yes sometimes there are arguments and emotions run high but that's what a family does. They argue and get angry but in the end you know that each one of us is there for one another.
Anyway sorry if this was a long reading but this is something that has bothered me since I joined FIJI and I felt like this was a good time to throw it out there. Please comment I would love to know what everyone thinks!
Monday, February 7, 2011
Collaboration
Collaboration is something that happens everyday. Whether it be in an academic setting, at work, or even putting up with Kevin as a roommate. I'm constantly working, at least trying to work, with others to accomplish something. It's almost to the point that I don't even realize in what ways I collaborate with others on daily basis.
Anyway back to what was asked, the time I remember using collaboration the most was when I was chosen to be on the A-team for the Leadership Collaborative. It was an awesome experience but definitely a bit of wake-up call as well. Being a part of the LC 2009 I was unaware of the behind the scenes planning and logistics that took place. Everything was so smooth and well planned out that I assumed they just worked from an agenda year after year after year. I was very wrong. There is so much more that goes into it. We had meetings throughout the entire summer up until the LC 2010 took place, going over speakers, dinner times, how to accomodate people, and various other logistics. It was crazy as to how much thought went into planning the event.
Finally, when it came time for the actual LC to take place, I thought it would be just as smooth as the one I attended back in 2009. I was mistaken. I saw a completely different side to things. The 4 other A-team members and myself were flying by the seat of our pants for 4 straight days. Constantly working on little things that needed to be done before the kids got up, or went to their small groups, or got ready to get on the bus, or before they got done finishing their dinner. I could not believe how much stuff we were able to accomplish literally just moments before the small group leaders needed what we were working on. It was absolutely crazy!
Of course, in the end it was a complete success. The whole thing was a blast and it was one of the better LC's if I do say so myself. I will never forget how much work and collaboration all of us had to put in to making the LC 2010 a successful event. It was a worthwile and eye opening experience that showed how collaboration towards a common goal can achieve great success and change people's lives.
Anyway back to what was asked, the time I remember using collaboration the most was when I was chosen to be on the A-team for the Leadership Collaborative. It was an awesome experience but definitely a bit of wake-up call as well. Being a part of the LC 2009 I was unaware of the behind the scenes planning and logistics that took place. Everything was so smooth and well planned out that I assumed they just worked from an agenda year after year after year. I was very wrong. There is so much more that goes into it. We had meetings throughout the entire summer up until the LC 2010 took place, going over speakers, dinner times, how to accomodate people, and various other logistics. It was crazy as to how much thought went into planning the event.
Finally, when it came time for the actual LC to take place, I thought it would be just as smooth as the one I attended back in 2009. I was mistaken. I saw a completely different side to things. The 4 other A-team members and myself were flying by the seat of our pants for 4 straight days. Constantly working on little things that needed to be done before the kids got up, or went to their small groups, or got ready to get on the bus, or before they got done finishing their dinner. I could not believe how much stuff we were able to accomplish literally just moments before the small group leaders needed what we were working on. It was absolutely crazy!
Of course, in the end it was a complete success. The whole thing was a blast and it was one of the better LC's if I do say so myself. I will never forget how much work and collaboration all of us had to put in to making the LC 2010 a successful event. It was a worthwile and eye opening experience that showed how collaboration towards a common goal can achieve great success and change people's lives.
Monday, January 31, 2011
What Citizenship means to me?
What at first stood out to me when I read this chapter was the section that talked about "Empathy" and how it is necessary when maintaining good citizenship. I find that interesting because I was lucky enough to be chosen to attend the Leadership Collaborative 2009 and I found out that one of my strengths was empathy. Empathy is not Sympathy. Empathy grants a person the ability feel what the other person feels. To know what it's like when someone is going through a hardtime because of a divorce. In many ways it's relating to what other people are going to on a personal level.
Now when thinking about Citizenship I kinda found it really hard to Empathize with people who are homeless, starving, and all the other problems that plague a lot of the world. Now I've done high school challenges where you attempt to not eat for an entire week and what not (most the time I failed because I love to eat) but the end result will be the same. Most likely you'll gorge yourself on your favorite foods once your probationary time has ended. This was an interesting thought for me. How do we truly empathize with those in horrible conditions. Is it even possible? I would love to know what everyone thinks about this!
Moving beyond just the part about empathy, I felt like a lot of what we've read so far factored into Citizenship. Without congruence or sincerity then there is no meaning behind these acts and you are just going through the motions. Good citizenship is about bettering your Community. Focusing on not only short term but long term development. I'm sure this is what the book is aiming for but it is fun to see how everything ties together in a nice pretty bow (yes I said it and I like Twilight too and i'm PROUD of it).
Looking forward to the class discussion tomorrow!!
Now when thinking about Citizenship I kinda found it really hard to Empathize with people who are homeless, starving, and all the other problems that plague a lot of the world. Now I've done high school challenges where you attempt to not eat for an entire week and what not (most the time I failed because I love to eat) but the end result will be the same. Most likely you'll gorge yourself on your favorite foods once your probationary time has ended. This was an interesting thought for me. How do we truly empathize with those in horrible conditions. Is it even possible? I would love to know what everyone thinks about this!
Moving beyond just the part about empathy, I felt like a lot of what we've read so far factored into Citizenship. Without congruence or sincerity then there is no meaning behind these acts and you are just going through the motions. Good citizenship is about bettering your Community. Focusing on not only short term but long term development. I'm sure this is what the book is aiming for but it is fun to see how everything ties together in a nice pretty bow (yes I said it and I like Twilight too and i'm PROUD of it).
Looking forward to the class discussion tomorrow!!
Monday, January 24, 2011
My Ritual
I liked reading what other people wrote down first. To be honest I'm not sure what my Ritual means to me. It's who I am on a daily basis. It's what I do, and yet it's something I have never taken any time to think about. Let alone put it out on the internet for all to see, well the 8 people who follow me at least.
I think i'll start the way a lot of people started. My ritual begins and ends with Friendship, Knowledge, Service, Morality, and Excellence. It is the values that FIJI's holds the highest and it is these values I try to incorporate into my everyday Ritual.
The Knowledge and the Excellence deal of course with academics. I strive to do the best I can so that someday I can fulfill my dreams and aspirations and eventually make them come true (SAC shoutout). However, that is not all that falls under this category. In everything I am a part of I try to employ these values. Knowledge of the organizations and what they stand for in addition to Excellence, in the effort I put into them. Academics and my committments are 2 of the most important parts of my Ritual.
Friendship will always be a part of my Ritual. I joined FIJI because of the brotherly bond I established with each and every one of its members. I will never forget how this fraternity and my brothers have always been there for me. Whether I need a kick in the pants, or a night away from school, or a slap on the wrist (yes I put two trouble maker metaphors). These relationships I have developed will last forever, and will be an important part of my Ritual until the day I die.
Morality. This I feel hits home the most. I have always considered myself a moral person. Doing the right thing has never been an issue for me, of course there are exceptions. I do not have a straight line of what's right and wrong, it is curved. But no matter what anyone says or does I will stick by whatever I judge the situation to be. It is my sense of morality that makes me who I am. It is exemplified in my ritual everyday, and it always will be.
Service. Sadly I think this is the one I find the hardest to maintain. I get so absorbed in my own world and my own activities that I have a hard time finding time to give to others. Others who, in many ways, are a lot less fortunate than me. This is one aspect of my Ritual that i know needs to change.
Which brings me to my final point. My Ritual is constantly changing. It has not stayed the same since I was born. With each new experience I gain more insight into what my Ritual should become. Always bettering it, and therefore myself. I believe it will never stop changing. Mostly because I'm human. I'll make mistakes and wrong decisions throughout my entire life. And from those decisions my Ritual will change . I will always hold Friendship, Knowledge, Service, Morality, and Excelence to a high regard while everyday focusing on fulfilling my Ritual.
I think i'll start the way a lot of people started. My ritual begins and ends with Friendship, Knowledge, Service, Morality, and Excellence. It is the values that FIJI's holds the highest and it is these values I try to incorporate into my everyday Ritual.
The Knowledge and the Excellence deal of course with academics. I strive to do the best I can so that someday I can fulfill my dreams and aspirations and eventually make them come true (SAC shoutout). However, that is not all that falls under this category. In everything I am a part of I try to employ these values. Knowledge of the organizations and what they stand for in addition to Excellence, in the effort I put into them. Academics and my committments are 2 of the most important parts of my Ritual.
Friendship will always be a part of my Ritual. I joined FIJI because of the brotherly bond I established with each and every one of its members. I will never forget how this fraternity and my brothers have always been there for me. Whether I need a kick in the pants, or a night away from school, or a slap on the wrist (yes I put two trouble maker metaphors). These relationships I have developed will last forever, and will be an important part of my Ritual until the day I die.
Morality. This I feel hits home the most. I have always considered myself a moral person. Doing the right thing has never been an issue for me, of course there are exceptions. I do not have a straight line of what's right and wrong, it is curved. But no matter what anyone says or does I will stick by whatever I judge the situation to be. It is my sense of morality that makes me who I am. It is exemplified in my ritual everyday, and it always will be.
Service. Sadly I think this is the one I find the hardest to maintain. I get so absorbed in my own world and my own activities that I have a hard time finding time to give to others. Others who, in many ways, are a lot less fortunate than me. This is one aspect of my Ritual that i know needs to change.
Which brings me to my final point. My Ritual is constantly changing. It has not stayed the same since I was born. With each new experience I gain more insight into what my Ritual should become. Always bettering it, and therefore myself. I believe it will never stop changing. Mostly because I'm human. I'll make mistakes and wrong decisions throughout my entire life. And from those decisions my Ritual will change . I will always hold Friendship, Knowledge, Service, Morality, and Excelence to a high regard while everyday focusing on fulfilling my Ritual.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Values
My values define the person i try to be. Picking only a few to talk about is difficult. There are so many values I try to incorporate into my everyday life. The one's I will talk about are Humility, Understanding and Honesty.
Humility is something I have always tried to practice. No matter what type of success i achieve, i hope to always stay humble. This one I don't find very hard to do because in all honesty it is ingrained in my personality. I get it from my mommy : )
Honesty is another value I think is very important, but also one of the hardest to maintain. Many times I can justify telling a little white lie. What harm can it do right? More often than not it would cause less pointless stress if i told the white lie than telling the truth would. Yet everytime that thought comes to me another one accompanies it. If I tell that white lie I do a diservice not only to myself, but also to the person on the other end of that lie. No matter what, I believe people deserve the truth. No matter how much stress, pointless or important, it brings.
The last one i'll talk about is Understanding. This is another difficult one to comprehend. In essence it might not seem like that big of a deal. To me though, it is the most important value I have. We interact with people on a daily basis. If you're like me you run across more than a few nuts on the buckeye tree that rub you the wrong way. It's very difficult to put up with someone who is annoying. It's even harder to try and understand why someone acts the way they do. Putting in the time and the effort to try and get to know someone who you might not even enjoy being around is exhausting. More often than not you're opinion will not change. But no matter how you feel afterwards you will gain an understanding of why that person acts the way they do. This insight brings about appreciation for that person and their struggles, despite your initial feelings towards them.
Obviously there are a lot more values than the 3 above that I try to live by but these are 3 of the one's that i feel define who I am. Having values is an important aspect for Greek Life to maintain. It is the values of each individual fraternity that defines them and makes them who they are. Choosing which values to support and hold in high regard can reflect the ways people, both inside and outside of greek life, are portrayed. How to maintain a fraternities values while also maintaining what keeps a fraternity going can have a big impact on how Greek Life will be portrayed in the future.
Humility is something I have always tried to practice. No matter what type of success i achieve, i hope to always stay humble. This one I don't find very hard to do because in all honesty it is ingrained in my personality. I get it from my mommy : )
Honesty is another value I think is very important, but also one of the hardest to maintain. Many times I can justify telling a little white lie. What harm can it do right? More often than not it would cause less pointless stress if i told the white lie than telling the truth would. Yet everytime that thought comes to me another one accompanies it. If I tell that white lie I do a diservice not only to myself, but also to the person on the other end of that lie. No matter what, I believe people deserve the truth. No matter how much stress, pointless or important, it brings.
The last one i'll talk about is Understanding. This is another difficult one to comprehend. In essence it might not seem like that big of a deal. To me though, it is the most important value I have. We interact with people on a daily basis. If you're like me you run across more than a few nuts on the buckeye tree that rub you the wrong way. It's very difficult to put up with someone who is annoying. It's even harder to try and understand why someone acts the way they do. Putting in the time and the effort to try and get to know someone who you might not even enjoy being around is exhausting. More often than not you're opinion will not change. But no matter how you feel afterwards you will gain an understanding of why that person acts the way they do. This insight brings about appreciation for that person and their struggles, despite your initial feelings towards them.
Obviously there are a lot more values than the 3 above that I try to live by but these are 3 of the one's that i feel define who I am. Having values is an important aspect for Greek Life to maintain. It is the values of each individual fraternity that defines them and makes them who they are. Choosing which values to support and hold in high regard can reflect the ways people, both inside and outside of greek life, are portrayed. How to maintain a fraternities values while also maintaining what keeps a fraternity going can have a big impact on how Greek Life will be portrayed in the future.
Consciousness of Self and Congruence
After reading chapters 9 and 10 of "Leaders for a Better World" I felt the need to blog. These two chapters really hit home for me. Mostly because before reading them I felt pretty confident that I was comfortable with what the chapters would be discussing. However, they opened my eyes to a lot of different things I had never even considered.
The first of which was the perceptions other people have of me. The more I think about it, the less i'm sure of how i'm percieved by other people. It's a difficult concept to grasp, having to not only be aware of one's own perception of themselves but also be aware of how they are percieved by other people. I also found the notion a "blind spot" interesting but also a little disconcerting.
The second was congruence. I enjoyed reading this chapter because it basically piggy backs on chapter 9. Having values is great and all, but they mean nothing unless you stick to and live by them. Without Congruence there's no real point in having values. I especially enjoyed this chapter because it recited my favorite quote of ALL TIME. I typed it out below just because I wanted to and I enjoy it so much.
The first of which was the perceptions other people have of me. The more I think about it, the less i'm sure of how i'm percieved by other people. It's a difficult concept to grasp, having to not only be aware of one's own perception of themselves but also be aware of how they are percieved by other people. I also found the notion a "blind spot" interesting but also a little disconcerting.
The second was congruence. I enjoyed reading this chapter because it basically piggy backs on chapter 9. Having values is great and all, but they mean nothing unless you stick to and live by them. Without Congruence there's no real point in having values. I especially enjoyed this chapter because it recited my favorite quote of ALL TIME. I typed it out below just because I wanted to and I enjoy it so much.
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are
powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens
us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small
doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other
people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We
were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of
us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other
people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence
automatically liberates others." - Marianne Williamson
For me this quote is very powerful in it's message that we all have the skills necessary to be a leader. It is up to us to use and develop those assets. Does anyone agree or disagree with this? I'm curious as to how everyone felt after reading this quote in our textbook.
Monday, January 10, 2011
assignment 1
Who is Jonathon Vincent Brown?
I'm not even sure I know the answer to that question. I am a 19 year old boy/man (who still has a hard time growing facial hair) and who has no idea what his future holds for him.
On a less philosophical note, I am a proud student at The Ohio State University. I am a proud Uncle of 3 beautiful kids and a godfather to my gorgeous neice. I am a son to the most wonderful parents alive. And yes, I am a momma's boy through and through. I have two older sisters or hated me when I was young, and have to put up with me now that i'm bigger than them. Family is by far the most important aspect to my life.
I'm very easy going and patient (as long as i'm not tired or hungry). I enjoy challenging my self physically, whether it be hiking outdoors or playing sports. I'm a very competitive person, especially on the basketball court. If you step on the court with me and you're not on my team.... stay out of my way. I enjoy eating. I'm not very picky. Food is food in my opinion and as long as there is food in front of me i will eat.
I love to read. Fiction books are my favorite but any kind of reading will do. I am a fan of twilight and i'm PROUD OF IT!
Why Join FIJI?
My story starts out like many other brothers of this fraternity. I had absolutely no intention of joinging a "Frat" when I came to Ohio State. I was an out of state student from Kansas and the last thing I wanted to do was join a frat and start my year off in the wrong direction. Little did I know i had become good friends with a lot of people in greek life before the school year even started. I was lucky enough to be accepted to the Leadership Collaborative in 2009 where i met a few members of FIJI. At the time I had no idea I was hanging out with people who were a part of greek life. However, everything just seemed so natural when I was around them. Conversation was never forced and we always had a good time. Before I knew it we were playing basketball on Saturday mornings, getting dinner Sunday/Monday nights, watching movies on Tuesday, playing cards on Wednesday, playing football on Thursday, going out on Friday, and then repeating the process every week. In FIJI i found something I had never had before. Brothers. In highschool I never had any good guy friends. More often then not i hung out with girls. Growing up with two sisters I think I felt more natural around girls then I did guys. When I found FIJI i found something that I had never had before, something i had no experience with in all my 18 years, and that was brotherhood. It is something I have cherished ever since and it's something I never want to lose.
This Blogging thing
If I am to be honest than I have to say that i'm not too thrilled about this Blogging idea. I am not one to open up to anyone let alone to an internet diary that everyone can read. I hate facebook and i'm lucky if i get on it once a week. I think it causes more trouble then it does good. But i'm always up to try new things so i'll try and keep an open mind about the whole process and save my final thoughts for the end of the class. But I am very excited to be seeing my brothers in a classroom setting for an entire quarter. I know we're gonna have a good time but i'm excited to get to know everyone on a much more personal level too.
I'm not even sure I know the answer to that question. I am a 19 year old boy/man (who still has a hard time growing facial hair) and who has no idea what his future holds for him.
On a less philosophical note, I am a proud student at The Ohio State University. I am a proud Uncle of 3 beautiful kids and a godfather to my gorgeous neice. I am a son to the most wonderful parents alive. And yes, I am a momma's boy through and through. I have two older sisters or hated me when I was young, and have to put up with me now that i'm bigger than them. Family is by far the most important aspect to my life.
I'm very easy going and patient (as long as i'm not tired or hungry). I enjoy challenging my self physically, whether it be hiking outdoors or playing sports. I'm a very competitive person, especially on the basketball court. If you step on the court with me and you're not on my team.... stay out of my way. I enjoy eating. I'm not very picky. Food is food in my opinion and as long as there is food in front of me i will eat.
I love to read. Fiction books are my favorite but any kind of reading will do. I am a fan of twilight and i'm PROUD OF IT!
Why Join FIJI?
My story starts out like many other brothers of this fraternity. I had absolutely no intention of joinging a "Frat" when I came to Ohio State. I was an out of state student from Kansas and the last thing I wanted to do was join a frat and start my year off in the wrong direction. Little did I know i had become good friends with a lot of people in greek life before the school year even started. I was lucky enough to be accepted to the Leadership Collaborative in 2009 where i met a few members of FIJI. At the time I had no idea I was hanging out with people who were a part of greek life. However, everything just seemed so natural when I was around them. Conversation was never forced and we always had a good time. Before I knew it we were playing basketball on Saturday mornings, getting dinner Sunday/Monday nights, watching movies on Tuesday, playing cards on Wednesday, playing football on Thursday, going out on Friday, and then repeating the process every week. In FIJI i found something I had never had before. Brothers. In highschool I never had any good guy friends. More often then not i hung out with girls. Growing up with two sisters I think I felt more natural around girls then I did guys. When I found FIJI i found something that I had never had before, something i had no experience with in all my 18 years, and that was brotherhood. It is something I have cherished ever since and it's something I never want to lose.
This Blogging thing
If I am to be honest than I have to say that i'm not too thrilled about this Blogging idea. I am not one to open up to anyone let alone to an internet diary that everyone can read. I hate facebook and i'm lucky if i get on it once a week. I think it causes more trouble then it does good. But i'm always up to try new things so i'll try and keep an open mind about the whole process and save my final thoughts for the end of the class. But I am very excited to be seeing my brothers in a classroom setting for an entire quarter. I know we're gonna have a good time but i'm excited to get to know everyone on a much more personal level too.
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