Frankenstein (Book Review)

This timeless classic piece of literature will forever be remembered in the lives of its many readers. It is most magnificently written by the talented Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. Shelley’s writing style and story development is showcased through this story. The story opens as a series of letters, these are written by a captain who finds a man lost out in the sea of ice and water. He harbors this man on his ship. This man, while on the ship, tells his story to the captain. Thus the story of Frankenstein begins. Frankenstein begins the story introducing himself and his character. As the story progresses he goes to school at which he studies the sciences and natural philosophies. While he excels at this, he becomes transfixed on creating artificial life. This becomes his sole goal; Frankenstein becomes engrossed in his creation for the longest time. He finally creates life in this once inanimate being, only to have it run off. At this Frankenstein is taken ill and cannot fathom what he is to do about his run away organism. He is brought home to his family at the word of his brother’s death. This puts him in a worse state, when he finds out the death was caused by his creation. He eventually decides to seek out the monster and end it. While he does find it; the being has—to his surprise—learned the English language and can communicate very well. The being then tells him of his genesis and the development up-to his present state. Through the story telling, the being makes a proposal to have Frankenstein make another being of the opposite sex to accompany him. This is because he is fraught with the misery of forever loneliness and isolation. Any human being who saw him were taken by fright and attacked him for his monstrous looks and size. He finds that he can only achieve happiness comparable to that of normal human beings. This creature attempts to persuade Frankenstein to make another being. Although Frankenstein is taken by his own creations sadness, he cannot justify his brother’s death. He finally agrees to do this only if the male being and the female being leave the known human world and live in the wild for their remaining existence. He then takes the necessary steps to make the being of the opposite sex. Frankenstein creates the being half of the way, but is haunted by his first male being. He then realizes that he cannot make another of these terrible creations, thinking that if the other being had freewill it may not choose to live with the male being off in isolation. At this the male being is furious and takes out his rage through a thick plot of taking the lives of his closest friend and Frankenstein’s beloved wife. Frankenstein is wrought with misery and seeks to end the beast and chases him to the end of the world in the ice and the sea. This brings the reader back to the letters and assumes the position of the captain’s perspective. The story closes with Frankenstein’s death and the chilling remorse of the beast. The last seen the beast sneaks on the ship to look at his creator one last time. He speaks eloquently to the captain at his regret and says farewell to all mankind; then is gone forever.

From this story I gained much. What Shelley gave me through her writing was that men are slaves to their passions. As Frankenstein was slave to his monster, men become enslaved to their obsessions or money, power, drugs, etc. These obsessions come back to haunt you and try to assume control over your life. In some cases, and in Frankenstein’s instance, these men are swallowed up.  

Personality

What is Personality? An accepted definition by American Psychological Association states, “Personality refers to individual differences in characteristic patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving. The study of personality focuses on two broad areas: One is understanding individual differences in particular personality characteristics, such as sociability or irritability. The other is understanding how the various parts of a person come together as a whole. (URL-http://www.apa.org/topics/personality/)” Personality is looked at by psychologists as a tool to better understand individuals and draw differences between them. Many psychologists focus on drawing comparisons and similarities between people’s individual traits through theories and tests. There are many different theories that go into defining and leaning about personality. According to Best Master in Psychology, “Psychological theories regarding personality are numerous, however, they all fall within an overall framework of theory types. These types include trait theories, type theories, psychoanalytic theories, behaviorist theories and humanistic theories.” (URL - http://www.bestmastersinpsychology.com/faq/personality-psychology/) The theories that will be covered are the trait and psychoanalytical theories.

            In trait theory personality is often looked at by psychologists as a series or number of traits that an individual possess. There has been much development of the theories to how many different traits people can have. Gordon Allport’s ideas were one of the first to be introduced in this field of psychology. In 1936 Allport developed a theory that included 4,500 different personality traits that defined an individual. In his theory he categorized all of his traits under three different levels these comprise of cardinal, central and secondary traits. Boundless online textbook provides a deeper description of each of these different levels to Allport’s theory, “Cardinal traits dominate and shape an individual's behavior, such as Ebenezer Scrooge’s greed or Mother Theresa’s altruism. They stand at the top of the hierarchy and are collectively known as the individual's master control. They are considered to be an individual's ruling passions. Cardinal traits are powerful, but few people have personalities dominated by a single trait. Instead, our personalities are typically composed of multiple traits. Central traits come next in the hierarchy. These are general characteristics found in varying degrees in every person (such as loyalty, kindness, agreeableness, friendliness, sneakiness, wildness, or grouchiness). They are the basic building blocks that shape most of our behavior. Secondary traits exist at the bottom of the hierarchy and are not quite as obvious or consistent as central traits. They are plentiful but are only present under specific circumstances; they include things like preferences and attitudes. These secondary traits explain why a person may at times exhibit behaviors that seem incongruent with their usual behaviors. For example, a friendly person gets angry when people try to tickle him; another is not an anxious person but always feels nervous speaking publicly. (URL - https://www.boundless.com/psychology/textbooks/boundless-psychology-textbook/personality-16/trait-perspectives-on-personality-79/allport-s-cattell-s-and-eysenck-s-trait-theories-of-personality-310-12845/) Allport was not the only one to delve into the psychology of personality. Raymond Cattell in a sense revised Allport’s voluminous theory. Cattell reduced the amount of traits down to 171 dissimilar traits that resulted in 16 classes with sub-sets. Trait theory goes into the details of Cattell’s theory, “First he went through the list and combined similar traits and eliminated those that seemed unnecessary or very rare. This got him to a list of 171 characteristics, which he then ran through the factor analysis method to determine which of the traits were closely related in a sample group of people. This got him down to just 16 main personality traits that he determined defined our personalities—characteristics like warmth, dominance and apprehension. According to Cattell, we all have these main traits, and our personalities are determined by the degree to which each is present. The resulting test, the 16PF assessment method, became one of the most commonly used personality rating tools.” (URL -http://traittheory.com/) Cattell was not the last one to leave his imprint upon the theory of the personality traits. Hans Eysenck reduced the personality traits down to three main groupings these encompassed extroversion, introversion, and psychoticism. On top of his theory Costa and McCrae built the widely accepted theory for defining personality. UK essays further explains, “Costa & McCrae's (1976) developed this further with their big five model, Openness, extroversion, neuroticism conscientiousness & agreeableness. Eysenck's argued against agreeableness and conscientiousness saying they belonged at a lower level in the hierarchy than psychoticism, extraversion, and neuroticism. Just as extraversion is made up of; impulsivity and sociability, so also psychoticism is made up of the factors agreeableness and conscientiousness. At the highest level in the hierarchy are the super factors P, E, and N. These super factors are not only psychometrically sound, but also have a physiological basis that has never been claimed for the Big Five.” (https://www.ukessays.com/essays/psychology/hans-eysencks-trait-theory-of-personality.php)  

            Psychanalytical theory of personality is most famously developed by Sigmund Freud. He has been called as the father of psychoanalytical philosophy. He explores the structure of the human mind and psychosexual behaviors. In Freud’s structure of the mind there are three main components. The Id, Ego and Super-ego. Each of these play an important role in the mind. From the boundless psychology text-book each of these parts of the mind are explained thoroughly, “The Id

The id, the most primitive of the three structures, is concerned with instant gratification of basic physical needs and urges. It operates entirely unconsciously (outside of conscious thought). For example, if your id walked past a stranger eating ice cream, it would most likely take the ice cream for itself. It doesn't know, or care, that it is rude to take something belonging to someone else; it would care only that you wanted the ice cream.

The Superego

The superego is concerned with social rules and morals—similar to what many people call their "conscience" or their "moral compass." It develops as a child learns what their culture considers right and wrong. If your superego walked past the same stranger, it would not take their ice cream because it would know that that would be rude. However, if both your id and your superego were involved, and your id was strong enough to override your superego's concern, you would still take the ice cream, but afterward you would most likely feel guilt and shame over your actions.

The Ego

In contrast to the instinctual id and the moral superego, the ego is the rational, pragmatic part of our personality. It is less primitive than the id and is partly conscious and partly unconscious. It's what Freud considered to be the "self," and its job is to balance the demands of the id and superego in the practical context of reality. So, if you walked past the stranger with ice cream one more time, your ego would mediate the conflict between your id ("I want that ice cream right now") and superego ("It's wrong to take someone else's ice cream") and decide to go buy your own ice cream. While this may mean you have to wait 10 more minutes, which would frustrate your id, your ego decides to make that sacrifice as part of the compromise– satisfying your desire for ice cream while also avoiding an unpleasant social situation and potential feelings of shame.

Freud believed that the id, ego, and superego are in constant conflict and that adult personality and behavior are rooted in the results of these internal struggles throughout childhood. He believed that a person who has a strong ego has a healthy personality and that imbalances in this system can lead to neurosis (what we now think of as anxiety and depression) and unhealthy behaviors.” (https://www.boundless.com/psychology/textbooks/boundless-psychology-textbook/personality-16/psychodynamic-perspectives-on-personality-77/freudian-psychoanalytic-theory-of-personality-304-12839/)  From the Id, Ego and Super-ego Freud begins to analyze the psychosexual development of people. His theories stemmed through his society largely because the sexual desires and pleasures were repressed greatly in the era he was a part of. People were taken ill because of these repressions were damaged neurotically. He developed a theory based on the Oedipus complex. “(in Freudian theory) the complex of emotions aroused in a young child, typically around the age of four, by an unconscious sexual desire for the parent of the opposite sex and a wish to exclude the parent of the same sex. (The term was originally applied to boys, the equivalent in girls being called the Electra complex .)” (URL - https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=Oedipus+complex)  Through the development of a child there are five general stages for them to go through. These comprised of oral, anal, phallic, latency and genital. Through Freud’s psychosexual theory of development, he was able to identify if people made it through all the stages properly. If people didn’t that is when problems would arise neurotically for the people, he studied. The people who made it across these five stages would be normally functioning humans and be stable individuals.

            There are many compelling theories of personality throughout psychology. Some of the most popular and understood theories include trait and psychoanalytical theory. Many years of people’s lives have been dedicated to the study of personality. Its deep concepts spanning from personality traits that can be complex as thousands of traits for a single person to understanding of the development of personality when one is a child. Personality is a deep topic and one that will inspire many to read and discover its intricacies.   

What Every Body is Saying (Book Review)

There are so many human interactions on a daily basis. Weather it is between a cashier ringing up your items, talking to an old relative at a family reunion, to spending time with a significant other. The book What Every Body is Saying can shed a thought provoking light on the many daily human interactions. Its knowledge can help you to discern who really are your friends and who is just another smiling face. Joe Navarro and ex FBI agent goes into the body’s no-verbal responses to interpret other people’s true feelings.

Navarro explains how there are different parts of the human brain. The main two he focuses on are the thinking brain (neocortex) and the mammalian brain (limbic). He draws a distinct difference between the two, as the thinking brain deals with thoughts and observations of the world around us.  While the limbic brain is the reactive part of the brain. Navarro goes deep into the science behind the limbic portion of the brain. Delving into the main specific reactions that occur under certain circumstances; he begins with the primal responses when the human species was in a hunter gather state including the Freeze, Fight or Flight responses. As the book progresses he explains the many different limbic responses and how to interpret them using your lovely neocortex part of the brain.

The book is set up in a chronological manner, starting with limbic responses from the feet and legs to the torso, hips, chest and shoulders to the arms, hands and fingers finishing off with the non-verbals of the face. Through his detailed examination of each of these body sections Navarro explains many signs that can be interpreted as acts of dominance, intimacy, confidence, stress, and much more.

One of my favorite non-verbal tells from the book that I use quite often is a facial response. One way to tell if someone likes you or at worst dislikes you, is from the facial ques of the eyes and brows. When upon your first greeting someone watch their eyes and see if they squint upon first seeing you or if they raise their eye brows when they greet you. If they squint, they are having a natural response to minimize the view of their surroundings because they saw something (or one) that they dislike. While if they raise their eye brows, this is to gain as much visual information upon seeing something (or one) they like. This is just one of the many different non-verbal ques that can easily be observed in you daily interactions.

Would like to better understand and communicate to people? This book does just that. I can help with intimate relationships with your spouse/significant other, with friends in your social circle to strangers on the street. I have learned a lot from this book and have used its resources to better communicate to fellow human beings and read other people’s feelings indirectly. This is an invaluable asset and I cannot stress its usefulness in daily life.

What Every Body is Saying - https://www.amazon.com/What-Every-BODY-Saying-Speed-Reading/dp/0061438294/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1480187175&sr=1-1&keywords=what+every+body+is+saying

Get Serious (Book Review)

Do you want to GET SERIOUS about your health and nutrition? Obtain an attractive physique? If so you are in luck. One of the first steps in this quest should be to read, the most informative Health and Fitness books that I have read. Written by Dr. Brett Osborn an accomplished bodybuilder and neurosurgeon provides his facts and evidence to support optimal health and nutrition.  This book will influence your thoughts about working out, nutrition, and stress.

Osborn begins his book charging the reader to take responsibility for one’s health. He makes a case that is feasible for the reader to take control of his/her health and nutrition. Through the book he further explains the troubles with the modern American health system and ties this into his pitch to take control of one’s health. From front to cover he continually drives at strength training and nutrition to achieve optimal health.

This book will give you the understanding

of what your body needs to be properly supplied with the nutrition to attain an attractive physique

to train properly to Get the results you want and need from working in the gym

to take control of your overall health

Things the book has changed for me.

I have been working out since I was 12 years old and still do consistently. I never squatted or deadlifted in my entire time training. I was missing some of the most important exercises known to man. I have since added these exercise to my regimen and after two weeks and already beginning to notice increases in strength and muscle growth. I will also say that nothing feels as good as lifting that shiny metal bar on to my shoulders feeling all my muscles strain and sweat dripping from my pores as I perform my daily ritual, feeling all the fibers contract and pain from the growth.

Not only has this book changed my perspectives on strength training but made the logical case for taking supplements to enhance my workout regime, including

Vitamin D3 (https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Made-Vitamin-Value-220-Count/dp/B004U3Y8NI/ref=sr_1_21_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1479786159&sr=1-21&keywords=vitamin%2Bd3&th=1)

Magnesium ( https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Made-Magnesium-Tablets-Pack/dp/B00896U72I/ref=sr_1_6_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1479786290&sr=1-6&keywords=magnesium&th=1)

And more.

The nutritional chapters of this book also provide and stress the importance of food. Osborne goes into explaining what food actually is. Osborne goes into the fine details of what define carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Further he equips the reader with the knowledge to discern what is good and bad 

foods, how much to eat, what to eat, and addresses the negative myths about

Fats

Cholesterol

 If your seeking to get serious about your health you should consider purchasing Get Serious. This book offers the modern man

a fighting chance at understanding health in these sickly times

to attain goals of an attractive physique

taking your health to the next level

What are you waiting for “Get Serious”

https://www.amazon.com/Get-Serious-Dr-Brett-Osborn/dp/1940598206

Man Up

Take what you want in life, this is part of what it means to be a man in life. Many people talk about what they want, money, skills, relationships, etc. But do they really want it? What people want in general is other peoples success without the hard work they put in. They think life just happens to them, guess what that is called in the real world,

#$^&^*. 

It simply doesn't happen. If you want something it is up to you to get off your butt and grab it. Stop complaining and dragging other people down in your nothingness. In the real world work is needed in order to get anything. 

The successful people of the world and in my life did not sit around and let the world shape them they shaped the world to them. If you want to be a guitarist, buy a guitar and play it for 8 hours a day, for three years. If you want to be an artist, do art everyday all day. Life is full of possibility it is up to you to take it. 

Thomas Edison once said,  "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."  Possibly the most renown american inventor Edison received only 12 weeks of formal education. This man had 1093 US patents for his inventions, some of his most popular inventions included one of the first light bulbs, phonograph, first motion picture camera, and much more. He saw the opportunities all around him starting from a young age and seized them for himself.  

Emulate Thomas Edison. Man Up and take what you want. 

The Stranger Camus (Review)

A man whose life is wholly dedicated to the derelict and determined mindset, meanders through his life from one morbid scene to the next. Albert Camus created a deep sense of emptiness in his writing of this man’s life.  In the first person the book starts off with his mother’s funeral to which he gets two days added to his weekend to go to it. He takes his leave and goes to the funeral but through it all he is disconnected and un-moved by his mother’s death. When he got there he found that the home at which she had lived, closed her in the casket. When he made it there he was asked if he wished to see his mother one last time before she was buried. To which he answered “no”. Through the funeral and procession Camus makes it evident that he doesn’t care. The following day after the funeral he goes back to his home and spends the day with his girlfriend Marie. They go about the city, to the beach, the movies, and to food. About the middle of the day Marie asks him about his mother and then is disturbed by his answer. This event was put their I believe to show the wantonness of this man.  Further through the book the reader is shown his lifestyle, his work and the people he associates with. The reader is introduced to his neighbor who is a pimp. Raymond asks for his help in writing a letter to a mistress who had done him wrong. Which led to Raymond a few days later beating this woman and being confronted by the police to which he lets the girl go. Raymond through the story refers to him and himself as the best of pals, Camus then brings the reader through his mental processes of thinking about how much it really didn’t matter to him and he only agrees with Raymond because he believes that it will please him. As the story progresses he is brought into a conflict between Raymond and his past mistresses brother. There are some resulting conflicts, two to be precise. The first begins on the beach, resulting in Raymond getting cut up with a knife and the enemies leave. Then later that day at the beach Raymond goes out to find them again and he follows him. Raymond being injured has a revolver on his person. Raymond gives it to him as they confront the enemy. Although tension builds the enemy flees and they go back across the beach. Raymond leaves him behind as he pushes ahead. He is now alone walking across the sun scorched beach, eventually he comes across the man who cut Raymond up earlier that day. He is very nervous at the sight of him and reaches to hold on to the revolver. As he approaches him across the beach the man (lying in the sand reaches in his pocket), the inevitable ensues and he shots the man to death. He is put on trial and sentenced to be decapitated. The story was very good, and I feel the ending was so. Through it Camus’s writing was very well done and digestible to the reader. The existentialist’s view on life was a good experience, good to understand and learn from.