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!!
Monday, January 31, 2011
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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