So tonight is the CNN/YouTube debate for democratic presidential hopefuls to be held in South Carolina. I find myself extremely excited over this relatively new form of public discourse. First, and maybe most importantly, I think the use of online tools like YouTube and Wikipedia will influence more youth to be more informed and involved in politics. I was watching a sample of the YouTube questions submitted, and many of them came from kids who aren't yet 18. Seeing this gave me a slight glimmer of optimism for the future of our country.
Another reason I'm excited about this style of debate is, as CNN has discussed, the public has submitted questions that the press may not have considered. Further, I think the sight of a person who has a particular concern adds a sense of humanity, and therefore urgency, to the decisions politicians make. Video of an injured veteran sitting in a wheelchair and asking about health insurance is worth more than a thousand words.
There are potential problems with this style of CNN/YouTube debate. A board of CNN execs had to go through the 3000 submitted videos and select about 75 that will be available for moderator Anderson Cooper to use. Whenever a single entity (in this case CNN) has the power to design a debate, there runs the risk of a bias. At the same time, though, more traditional debates had even fewer people (often just the moderator) choosing which questions to ask. Until political parties can convince their presidential candidates to convene in city halls around the country and allow townspeople to ask uncensored questions, I suppose this YouTube style debate is the best we can do.
Anyway, feel free to agree or disagree with me about how awesome this new debate style is. Watch the debate tonight and tell me what made an impression on you.
23 July, 2007
18 July, 2007
I had more hair in high school, but I'm glad I'm not still 16-year-old me
As part of the move-home-from-UF/move-up-to-NYC process, I've lately had to sort through many boxes to decide what to bring with me, what to trash, and what to store in the 157-degree attic. I also went through some of my boxes already in the attic to see what could be tossed, and found a boxful of papers that brought me to tears with laughter.
Hidden among other high school memorabilia (yearbooks, student newspapers, awards, etc.) I found some old notebooks and legal pads. Apparently, I had used these notebooks and pads as sounding boards for my deepest, most darkest emo complaints. I perused some of the stream-of-consciousness my 16-year-old self had vomited through a pen, and I found the experience delightful. What a mess I was. Poems with sketches of landscapes and roses. Whining about girls. Gripes about typical high school dramas. Grievances galore. Seems I dealt with the same perceived problems most teenages do--I just dealt with them internally rather than spreading rumors about my foes. While I'm sure that wasn't good for my health back then, it DID provide a source of great laughter in the present.
The main reason I found these writings so funny is that I thought I had been more mature than the average schmuck in high school. Now I know better. I had very little respect for those who disagreed with me. I had not a clue of how to deal with emotional strife. Most importantly though, I could tell by reading my old notes that I had no sense of gratitude for just how good my life truly was. I doubt 16-year-old me would have been able to laugh at 11-year-old me.
So now I'm wondering how I'll interpret this blog or other writings in five or ten years. Will post-med-school Nick be shocked at pre-med-school Nick's shortcomings? I hope so. At the same time, though, this episode has made me very aware of my desire to make my future self proud. Maybe in 2017 (assuming the Mayans were incorrect about the whole 2012 affair) I'll be able to look back at my personal development without being ashamed of the version.2007 Nick.
High school me:
Hidden among other high school memorabilia (yearbooks, student newspapers, awards, etc.) I found some old notebooks and legal pads. Apparently, I had used these notebooks and pads as sounding boards for my deepest, most darkest emo complaints. I perused some of the stream-of-consciousness my 16-year-old self had vomited through a pen, and I found the experience delightful. What a mess I was. Poems with sketches of landscapes and roses. Whining about girls. Gripes about typical high school dramas. Grievances galore. Seems I dealt with the same perceived problems most teenages do--I just dealt with them internally rather than spreading rumors about my foes. While I'm sure that wasn't good for my health back then, it DID provide a source of great laughter in the present.
The main reason I found these writings so funny is that I thought I had been more mature than the average schmuck in high school. Now I know better. I had very little respect for those who disagreed with me. I had not a clue of how to deal with emotional strife. Most importantly though, I could tell by reading my old notes that I had no sense of gratitude for just how good my life truly was. I doubt 16-year-old me would have been able to laugh at 11-year-old me.
So now I'm wondering how I'll interpret this blog or other writings in five or ten years. Will post-med-school Nick be shocked at pre-med-school Nick's shortcomings? I hope so. At the same time, though, this episode has made me very aware of my desire to make my future self proud. Maybe in 2017 (assuming the Mayans were incorrect about the whole 2012 affair) I'll be able to look back at my personal development without being ashamed of the version.2007 Nick.
High school me:
14 July, 2007
The title
So this is my entry into the world of online publishing. Being the first entry in the blog, I think I should explain the title.
The Long Walk is the title of an incredibly inspirational novel, written by Slavomir Rawicz, which details the author's journey from the Lubyanka prison in Moscow to labor camp 303 near Yakutsk, Siberia, and then his escape on foot through Siberia, across Mongolia, past China, over the Himalayas, and into the safety of India. I highly recommend the book as a testament to that which can be overcome when someone has a goal at mind and in their heart.
Rawicz's goal was freedom and more than a few hundred grams of black bread a day. I have some goals, too. I've accomplished some goals I've set, and I'm sure there will be more to come. While I'll probably never hike without supplies from the Arctic Circle to India, I DO plan on accomplishing a few important things in my life. And while the obstacles in my path are a bit less daunting than the Gobi Desert or the Himalayas, they exist nonetheless. So, I chose The Long Walk as the title of my blog to serve as a constant reminder of how incredibly powerful the human spirit really is. That sounds corny, but I've become more corny over time, so I really don't care. Med school and residency, along with the ups and downs of health, happiness, and relationships, will be my own personal microcosm of The Long Walk. So there it is...the title of my blog.
I'll close this first post with a few pictures.
Where I am:
Where I've been:
Where I'll be:
The Long Walk is the title of an incredibly inspirational novel, written by Slavomir Rawicz, which details the author's journey from the Lubyanka prison in Moscow to labor camp 303 near Yakutsk, Siberia, and then his escape on foot through Siberia, across Mongolia, past China, over the Himalayas, and into the safety of India. I highly recommend the book as a testament to that which can be overcome when someone has a goal at mind and in their heart.
Rawicz's goal was freedom and more than a few hundred grams of black bread a day. I have some goals, too. I've accomplished some goals I've set, and I'm sure there will be more to come. While I'll probably never hike without supplies from the Arctic Circle to India, I DO plan on accomplishing a few important things in my life. And while the obstacles in my path are a bit less daunting than the Gobi Desert or the Himalayas, they exist nonetheless. So, I chose The Long Walk as the title of my blog to serve as a constant reminder of how incredibly powerful the human spirit really is. That sounds corny, but I've become more corny over time, so I really don't care. Med school and residency, along with the ups and downs of health, happiness, and relationships, will be my own personal microcosm of The Long Walk. So there it is...the title of my blog.
I'll close this first post with a few pictures.
Where I am:
Where I've been:
Where I'll be:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)