Slam Poet Presentation

Sorry that this is a bit late, I haven't had a chance to post it earlier.

Topic 1: What did you think of Zack’s performance at Fraser Heights?

I ended up watching Zack’s performance twice, once in English and once in Drama. I can firmly say that both times I was completely surprised by his thoroughly entertaining demeanour, and I also found his poems very thought-provoking and meaningful, especially to himself as the author.

Oftentimes I find that presenters at our school don’t really manage to connect with the audience well, and tend to sugar-coat life outside of high school. Many do not actually open up to us, which leaves a sense of disconnect between the audience and presenter. This was definitely not the case with Zack. He really told us a lot about himself as a person, and also his personal experiences with some things that are tougher to deal with, such as drug abuse, jail time and family issues. While there was a definite realness to his subject matter, he didn't make it seem as if he was there for an anti-drug presentation. He just talked to us like friends about how he did struggle with things, but that he was able to get out of it once he started to do things like poetry.

He also told a lot of stories, which let us get to know him before he told us about problems that he has faced in the past. They were really entertaining and funny, and I thought that his movements. Gestures, and little improved jokes thrown in really kept our attentions. They were for the most part relatable stories that just made me more interested in who he was.

As for his poems, they were so well-written! I really felt that “realness” that came to mind when he was also talking about his struggles. The emotions that he felt during those times were evident through his words and phrasing, and they really hit me. I loved that they were narrative, so they themselves were very similar to stories. They were dark, but presented in a way that made them not as depressing as the subjects actually were. The way he presented them was also fantastic, as the way that he sped up during more intense parts of the poems really created a more lasting effect. His variation is dynamics was engaging and I found it interesting to see some of his choices with those dynamics.

Overall, I think that it may have been one of the best school presentations that I have ever seen, and I hope that he may come back to our school later on for more presentations! 

Power always corrupts the one who holds it: Essay

          What comes first, power or corruption? It has been said that power is one of the most desired things that a person could obtain, opening up worlds of opportunities to its holder. Power can be described as the concept of an ability to control or influence situations or people, often in politics or social settings. Many also believe that it can lead to corruption of its holder, as demonstrated by historian Sir John Dalberg-Acton, when he stated, “power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” However, is his statement true? Power is a very fickle thing, but does it really come before corruption in the grand scheme of things? Many may argue that politicians’ power caused them to become corrupt individuals with immoral behaviours and ethics, but the connection between possessing power and being corrupt is not a strong one. Rather, power itself does not corrupt its holder; instead, power gives people the means to act corruptly. This statement can be further illustrated by looking into what the concept of power exactly is, how people in positions of power can use or abuse their gift, and glancing into the arguably twisted world of politics.

          How can power be blamed for all wrongdoings of humanity? Power is merely a tool that may be utilised for positive or negative actions. There is no reason for power to directly cause unethical or immoral behaviour, instead serving as the means to an end. Whether that end is detrimental to people or not, is not directly linked to possessing power. Perhaps, rather than power itself, the journey to obtaining it is more likely to corrupt an individual. This could be due to the fact that in many cases, people do some questionable things to gain such power. For example, in order to become a successful politician, one may lie to voters during the election process in order to present oneself in a better light. This does not mean that the concept of power has corrupted you, instead, you became corrupted because of your desire for power. Once you are settled into your authority, your newfound ability to do as you please does not necessarily mean that you are going to do horrible things to others or manipulate people into bad situations. Power heightens pre-existing ethical tendencies and characteristics, it does not create new ones. 

          Many people, when put into positions of power, find themselves with the freedom do anything that they wish to do. They hold authority over others, therefore, others cannot hold them accountable for their actions. This could lead the said person in power to behave in excess, and depending on their morals and ethics may either be positively or negatively affected by this newfound control. People take advantage of any authority they can grasp on to, and whether we choose to abuse this privilege is up to us, not determined or controlled by power itself. We can use power that comes in the form of wealth to give back to others and help society, not necessarily to tear it down. For example, Bill Gates, the richest man in the world, consistently gives to charities and even founded his own, along with his wife. It is called “Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation”, serving to reduce poverty in the world. Gates has donated over $28 billion towards various charitable organizations and is a prime example of how power can be used to benefit others. 

          Frequently in society we see the use of two different types of power; personal and socialized power. Personal power occurs when an individual uses the control that they have to personally benefit themselves, not others. For example, this could be done by a person in a high up political position to utilise their authority to make actions that would be only beneficial towards themselves. In contrast, socialized power is used to benefit others, not just the one who possesses the power. In fact, the use of socialized power might not benefit whoever is utilising their power at all. This type of power is what many people would like to see being utilised by politicians and world leaders. However, many politicians tend to act as if they are using socialized power even if the result of their endeavors are more beneficial to themselves than to society. This is sometimes referred to as “having your own agenda”, and is the reason that many would call the occupation of being a politician a corrupt and crooked one to be associated with. What this illustrates is that power offers opportunities, and how one decides to act upon these opportunities will determine whether or not the power is being used beneficially for the majority of people or not. However, it should not be automatically assumed that all politicians do not act to make the lives of their citizens better, improving them in any way. It is unfair to suggest that being a politician and having power that comes with the job would mean that such a person is definitely corrupt.  Power does not corrupt people, rather, corrupt people abuse their power. What a person chooses to do with power they possess is up to what type of person they really are, not the authority that they have acquired. 

          As mentioned previously, power itself does not lead to corruption, it instead brings out pre-existing tendencies and characteristics that may have been acquired before or during the rise to it. The concept of power itself brings a lot of insight into how authority and control does not end in unethical behaviour. Power is a quality that can either be used for good or bad, and when used carefully can produce wonderful results and achievements. This all depends on the person who holds it, as such a person’s character traits will really influence how their authority is utilized. Politicians often come under scrutiny for abuse of power and being corrupted, and whether or not such a person really is corrupt depends on what type of power they employ, socialized or personal power. Many politicians may act as if their contributions serve only the public and will be beneficial to their citizens, while they may be using their higher-up status to personally benefit themselves instead. While this is corrupt behaviour, it has not necessarily arisen from the fact that they possess power. There is no way to say that such people would not act corruptly even if they did not have any authority. These facts showcase that while certain individuals may misuse power that they acquire, it does not itself cause corrupt behaviour. Power is what you make of it, and depending on the type of person that someone is, it could prove to be a gift larger than any other, if only you use it carefully. 

Are Emotional Appeals an Effective Way of Motivation?

      What motivates people? What would make you want to win a race? Would it be the big, gold medal you would receive or the pride you would feel? Sir Ken Robinson, from TEDtalks, says,"You can't expect different people with different views to work to a goal in the same way." Some people would say that being able to rely on facts and knowing a definite outcome pushes them to reach their goals, however, not everyone is so easily persuaded. Some people feel more motivated when they can relate to the situation on an emotional level, personalizing the outcome rather than receiving a definite one, making emotional explanations more effective than rational explanations.

     If you were choosing between two universities, one admitting over 10,000 students while the other admits about 100, which university would be a more realistic choice? This is a rational explanation. It provides a reasonable interpretation of an outcome by using facts from the situation. For example, being accepted to the university admitting 10,000 students would be the possible outcome compared to the other school, motivating you to work towards the possibilities. This would classify rational explanations as "motivation by reward", meaning your devotion is effected by your opinion on the result, however, is this the best way to motivate someone? Dan Pink, from TEDtalks, says,"People are so focused on getting to their goal, they can't reach their full potential. The goal cuts away from the 'peripheral vision' of a person's mind." This being said, how can we make sure we reach our goals to our best abilities?

      Motivating someone in a general aspect can be very effective, however, how can you change the motives to fit a specific person? Unlike a rational explanation, emotional explanations are used to alter someone's opinion psychologically. The most common method of emotional persuasion is manipulation or using guilt. Manipulation is influencing someone to accommodate your purpose. For example, when your mother tells you to clean the house or you will not be able to spend time with your friends. This connects to the person on a personal level. It convinces you that to do something that makes you happy, you must finish that task first. You give them what they want in return for what you want. In this situation, you have been successfully convinced to do something because it will benefit you as well. That is why emotional explanations are more effective to motivate someone.

      The biggest difference between rational and emotional explanations is the outcome. While rational explanations have a definite outcome, emotional explanations must vary to fit the characteristics of the person being influenced. Sir Ken Robinson, from TEDtalks, says,"You can't expect different people with different views to work to a goal in the same way." Though both rational and emotional explanations are effective ways to motivate someone, facts cannot convince everyone to change their ways. People have a stronger appeal to emotional satisfaction than to being “scientifically correct”.

      Overall, characteristics, ideas, and emotion play an important part in people's actions, making emotional explanations are stronger, more reliable way to motivate someone. People want to know their opinion on the outcome rather than depending on the facts they are told. Creating an emotional connection with the situation and the motivator helps others push themselves towards the goal.

Emotional Appeals are More Effective than Rational Explanations

Have you ever been in a situation where you want to get someone to do something for you? Whether it is getting that person to make you food, or get you a pillow? It could even be getting that person to do something for himself/herself. For example, applying for a job, or university. These are all examples of motivation. To motivate someone means to make someone feel determined, or willing to do something. If you want to motivate someone to do something, you need to think of a way that would persuade him/her the most effectively. Some examples of ways to persuade people are by giving them rational explanations, or by appealing to their emotions.

One way of motivating people is to give them the rational explanation. In other words, the scientific reason behind it. Some people are easily motivated if they know the facts behind something. For example, the reasons of why you should NOT smoke. There are plenty of scientific reasons of why cigarettes are bad for you and how you can get cancer. If you want to motivate people to stop smoking, you could tell them these facts. Hearing this explanation could make them realize that they need to do something, and stop smoking. This is a great way to motivate someone to stop because hearing the rational explanation may force him/her to have second thoughts about pulling out that next cigarette.

Although there are positives to rational explanations, there are also downfalls about them. In this case, sometimes the facts are hard to face, and may not be rational. For example, when you are applying for a class or job, some places specifically tell you how many people they are looking for. They may say, “We are looking for three people.” You may think that since this is such a low number, and tons of people may apply, that you have no chance of getting accepted, and that the odds are not in your favour. If you heard this, would it motivate you to apply? Knowing that only three people would be accepted? Probably not. You may feel that since three people get in, that you have no chance. This is a scenario where rational explanations are not good. You could have been one of the three fortunate people to get accepted, but now you will never know, because seeing such a low number of acceptances did not motivate you to apply.

Getting to someone on an emotional level is another way of motivating people to do something. One of the ways people do this is psychologically. They get into someone else’s head. You could tell them something, whether it is true or not, to motivate them to do something. I find that when someone tells me something to motivate me, whether it is true or not, I tend to remember it. It gets trapped in my head, and does not escape, until I finish what I was motivated to do. A great example of this happened when I was seven. My soccer coach told my team that if we scored a goal that was a header, we would get a pizza party. Every soccer game after he told us this, all I could think about was scoring a header goal so we could have a pizza party. The pizza was my motivation. He got to my heads and motivated me to score. Eventually, I did score a goal by heading the ball, and we got our pizza party. This shows how you can motivate someone by getting into that person’s head.

Another way of getting to someone emotionally is by guilt. Guilt is very powerful when it comes to making decisions. It can completely change your perspective. When someone wants one of their peers to do something for them, they may guilt them into it. For example, say that you and your best friend sit together in math class, and your class is writing a test. You feel confident about the test, but your best friend is very nervous. S/he looks over at you and whispers, “Help me. I do not understand! You do not want to see me fail...right?” Although you may want to go with your gut, you may feel that if you do not help, you will feel guilty. You know that cheating is wrong, but you do not want to see your best friend fail either. In the end, you have to be the one to decide whether you help them or not. This shows how guilt can make you feel.

You can guilt people into doing good things as well. For example, getting someone to donate to the food bank at Christmas time. You may tell them that since they have so much at Christmas and others do not, that they would feel better by helping others out. It would make them feel good. You are motivating them to do something to benefit others. Another example is the Heart and Stroke Foundation. My Mom donates every year, because my Opa had a heart attack and seven bypasses. He is still alive, and she is motivated to help so others will also have a good chance of surviving.

When motivating someone to do something, you are more likely to be successful by getting to him/her on an emotional level. If you are motivating someone to do something good, it makes them want to go with their heart, and with their gut feeling. The best way to accomplish this is emotionally. It is not always a good thing to go with the facts, when it comes to motivating people. Sure the facts may be true, but that will not get to someone as much, as saying something to the heart. The most effective way to persuade someone is emotionally.

     Emotional Appeals and Their Affect on the Brain

     The human brain is like a ball of modelling clay. When first brought into use it is soft and mouldable; easily imprinted. As time continues, it begins to set and harden, making our mind unchangeable. Like modelling clay, our minds can become versatile once again. What is it that has the power to weaken our mind and make it susceptible once again? Some may argue that fact controls our actions more than our feelings; however, emotional appeals are more effective than rational explanations at motivating people to act because of our emotions, mindset, intuition and values.

            When persuading someone to make a decision, it can be very effective to connect with them on an emotional level.  One strategy of getting into someone’s head is to guilt them. Guilt is a very powerful thing; it has the ability to destroy people. To avoid the gut wrenching wrath of guilt, it is a good idea to take others feelings into consideration. However, doing so can alter our decision making a great amount. For example, if you were in a dilemma and one option would result in hurting someone close to you, your solution would most likely become much clearer to you.  Or, without even being given the power to choose as you wish, the friend may subtly hint at how your actions affect others; persuading you to make your choice in their favour.  Although it may not be the right thing to do, it is very effective.

            In addition to emotionally, being able to reach someone psychologically can impact their motives. In a state of confusion, people tend to be very open to new ideas or suggestions in hopes to find a solution for their problem. Having such an open mind can cause one to become vulnerable. If you are close with someone it can be very easy to get inside their head. Since you know their priorities, you can make it seem as if one option has only positive outcomes in order to benefit yourself. Without pressure from others, people can base their actions off of their own feelings. For example, being asked to test a new skill can be intimidating for some. The fear could cause them to decline the opportunity. Despite the fear some may look at it as a chance to conquer great things and reach a sense of pride or fullness.

Basing decisions off facts isn’t always a smart idea. Sometimes when in a sticky situation people don’t always have all of the facts necessary to make a well informed decision. It is at times like these when quick thinking is called for. This is where the gut instinct comes into play. People tend to make good decisions because of the emotion they are feeling. The “gut feeling“ can be described as an overpowering, nagging, all consuming monster in the pit of your stomach telling you that something is not right.  I have experienced this feeling many times before, however; one instance that stands out to me was when it happened to my doctor. A few years ago I was in the hospital with the H1N1 flu. At the time I was extremely sick and the doctors were very concerned for my well being. I was having a hard time breathing so my doctors decided to test me for pneumonia, the test results would take too long to come back, most likely after it would be too late. One of my doctors realized the danger of my situation and decided to treat me and get the fluid out of my lungs. Her gut instinct saved my life, not facts.

Another reason why facts should not always be used to guide decisions is because there is no happiness or love accounted for in reason. If people base major life decisions off science, chances are they will not be happy. For example, in school teenagers are taught to choose a career path that makes them happy. Despite what they are told, some will chose to take the best paying job they can find. Years after sitting at a job they hate, they realize choosing money over happiness was not the right thing to do. This shows how our values can motivate us. They can lead us into a great future or a life of wondering what could have been.

Ultimately, peoples actions are motivated by their emotions, character, intuition, and values; thus making rational explanations the weaker motivational strategy in comparison to emotional appeals. This being said, the tactics used to sway people are not always morally right. Due to our minds gravitation towards emotion, influencing peoples’ decisions can be a dangerous game to play.

Emotional appeal are more effective than rational explanations at motivating people to quit DRAFT BB

Everyone has emotion no matter how hard we may try to hide it. Emotions can make us do many things we might not do normally like joining a basketball team because your friend is on it. Even if you are able to join a better team , you choose to join this team because of your emotions for your friend. Emotional appeals are more effective than rational explanations at motivating people to act. Emotional appeals can make people feel guilty and then do something they didn’t feel like doing. Rational explanations on the other hand can allow you to feel more confident but also the opposite. The facts can either motivate or depress.

Guilt can have a very strong effect on people. It makes people make different decisions that they would generally not do. If someone walked up to me and asked if I wanted to go to their party while my friend was right next to me. My decision would change depending if they ask my friend to go as well. If I went and my friend couldn't come it would make me feel guilty because I get to go while they don’t. So in this scenario I would probably not go, even if I really wanted to. Guilt’s strong effect on people makes it very easy for them to get motivated. If Bob asked Frank who normally never does anything physical to work out with him, Frank might do it. Frank might do it because he doesn’t want Bob to be alone. In this process Bob is motivating Frank by guilting him to work out with him.

Rational explanations can be very motivating when the facts are in favor of the person wanting to do something. Waiting for a reply after applying for a job can be tough. Although when you hear about the job allowing over 20 people to be hired, you get excited. The fact of success being more than you expected can really motivate people. It’s the same with diet programs. They have commercials that will say 50% of the customers were satisfied with our product and lost 50lbs+ of weight in less than a month. The percentage of 50 really makes you think you will lose the weight and because of the high percentage you will be motivated to buy it.

Ration explanations also can not be very motivating. Sometimes the numbers are just too small for you to get motivated. For example: A house in Surrey is very expensive for a young adult to buy. The expensive house could make the person interested in buying the house really depressed and might make them want to just give up. Others on the other hand with strong wills might just work harder and get the money. Although most people don’t put in the extra effort so they give up. That is why there's problems with rational explanations, depending on the circumstances people can lose all their motivation. Rational explanations can be good but they're generally not.

Emotional appeal is more effective than rational explanations. Although rational explanations do give motivation, they also do the opposite. The most effective way to motivate someone is through guilt. They will be not forced to do something but it will feel that way for them, making the perfect motivation to do something.

What I Thought of Zack's Performance

Today at Fraser Heights, we were fortunate enough to have Zaccheus Jackson, a Vancouver slam poet, come and preform at our school. Incase you did not know, slam poetry is a competition where poets read their original work, or recite it, in front of an audience, and judges, who are randomly selected from the audience.

Zack was very open to us. By that, I mean that he did not hide anything from us. He told us about some of the things that happened to him, and how he was even homeless for a couple years. Also, some of his stories were funny, which kept everyone interested in what he was saying. It was like an “intermission” during the performance. He was trying to connect with us, which made his presentation that much better. This way we could get an idea of what he was thinking when he was reciting his poems.

The poems that Zack wrote and recited were very powerful. At first, he was speaking fairly fast, so it was tough to understand. Once you were use to hearing him speak fast, you could really get into his poems. He spoke very confidently, and used gestures, which enhanced his poems. I really enjoyed the way he recited his poems too. He recited them with rhythm/beat and that certainly kept me interested. There was also so much emotion that he spoke with, that is really kept me listening.
                 Overall, I really enjoyed Zack’s performance. His poems were very well written and his stories were great. He is an amazing poet, and if he ever came back, I would definitely go again.

What I thought of Zack's performance at Fraser Heights

Today a slam poetry artist from Vancouver named Zaccheus Jackson performed to us. I thought he did a very good job of entertaining the crowd. Zack did a lot of things very well. First, he used his own personal examples such as talking about his dark days. Another thing he did well was relating to us, the audience. He talked about how your mother can be scary when you do something wrong and everyone can relate. Also, Zack was a great performer. Zack looked at the audience all the time and tried to get everyone engaged. For example; when he asked questions like “How many of you people in here have ever been in a relationship?”. Although, my favourite thing about Zack was that he was funny. He was full of character like when he pretended to be a guy from the 70’s smoking long cigarettes. All I think his performance was my favourite out of all the performances I've seen in the Fraser Heights Theatre.

Are there positive and negative consequences for being too loyal? Essay Draft -BB

When people think of loyalty they think of a knight and his king. The knight would do anything for his king, even risk his life. Being too loyal can lead to positive and negative consequences.

There can be positive consequences for being too loyal. Generally, when someone respects someone they will respect them back. The same thing applies for trust, they both are two way relationships. When people are loyal they respect and trust the other person. If there is a two way relationship between the two people, they will look after each other. When one of them needs help, the other will help them and it goes both ways. This is the benefit of being too loyal.

Sometimes being too loyal can make people have a bias opinion. The person being really loyal could have a clouded mind because they are so loyal, they forget about their own opinion. These people think their opinion is not important. They cannot tell if the other person who they think so highly makes right or wrong decisions. These people always agree with the person they are loyal to.

Sometimes when people are too loyal, other people take advantage of them. People who are too loyal get taken advantage of because they are so loyal that they do not realize what is wrong. Without knowing it, these people hurt others and even themselves. For example; Bob tells Larry to steal Cindy's ice cream because he is hungry. Larry will feel bad about stealing Cindy's ice cream but he wants to be loyal to Bob. Therefore Larry steals the ice cream because Bob's hunger is more important. Now both Larry and Cindy are sad.

Being too loyal is not necessarily a good thing. Being too loyal can have a positive consequence. Although, there are much more negative consequences. Therefore, it is better not to be too loyal.

Are There Positives and Negatives to Being Too Loyal?

  Loyalty has a big impact on our relationships and the way we act, however, will being loyal always bring success? Although there are many benefits to loyalty, the negative components should also be considered.

  Being loyal has many positive effects on ourselves and our relationships with others. It shows commitment and reliability, which are big factors of relationships in any situation such as a job or social setting. Commitment shows your interest and devotion towards something, such as a job, and can lead to success. People who are more committed to something tend to do better in the long-run, like putting effort into practicing playing a sport or instrument. Reliability also shows devotion. Having someone to rely on means you have support whenever you need it, in any situation you're going through. These factors of loyalty can help us build and keep strong relationships.

  Although loyalty can be a good thing, too much can change the way you and others see yourself. Being too loyalty causes you to focus and base all your thoughts onto one thing. This will allow people to take advantage of you, resulting in bias opinions and missed opportunities. When you are loyalty to someone of something, people can see this as a way to shift your views to what they believe is right. For example, being loyal to a certain brand of shoes can cause you to think that other brands pale in comparison. This extreme loyalty changes the way you see other things, changing your personal opinions and no longer allowing you to think for yourself. As well, these different opinions take away opportunities you may have previously enjoyed. The best way to avoid all of this is to stay loyal to what you believe is right, rather than allowing your ideas to falter for others.

  Trust is a big factor in loyalty. Being trustworthy and dependable plays an important role in how people see and feel about you, however, are there also negatives in being trustworthy? Though trust is the only way people will feel comfortable with opening up to you, sometimes the expectation of being trustworthy is hard to live up to. Making an error, such as lying about where you are or telling a secret, can change a person's view on you in an instant. People will usually focus on the bad things, whether they're big or small, to outweigh the good you have done for them. Sharing a secret, for example, may seem like it's not a big deal, however when someone has such a high standard for their trust, a small mistake can be a big, lit-up billboard.

Trust is a wonderful thing, but it is important to make sure you can handle both the responsibility of having trust and the consequences of breaking it.

  Though loyalty is a big factor in out relationships with others, we must remember that being loyal to ourselves is just as important, and having a balance between our personal and social loyalty is the best way to benefit from it.

Positives and Negatives of Loyalty - Monika

            A loyal person is someone who is faithful, trustworthy, and is truthful to his or her commitments. One of the most important parts of having a loyal person in your life is that you have someone who you can rely on. Loyalty is a great quality to have, and it is a trait everyone looks for in others. In the end, it narrows down to having someone in your life who is loyal, or someone who is deceptive. As with most things, there are negatives, but there are many positives that can overpower them.

         With every positive, there is often a contrasting negative. There are some cases where people may be so loyal to someone that they may not realize when that person is taking advantage of them. Since you are a loyal person, and you do the right thing, people could potentially use that against you. You may be too loyal to the wrong person. An example is if you tell a secret to someone who you “thought” was loyal, and then they tell you one in return. Unfortunately, the next day, that person went around telling your secret, but because of who you are, you would never tell anyone his/her secret. You may be loyal yourself, but you had too much trust in that other person. Sadly, it came back to bite you in the butt.

One of my favourite television shows is called “Survivor”, and on it you can see prime examples of people being loyal, but it also shows how deceiving people can be. You make alliances to get yourself further in the game. Loyalty and trust are a big part of these alliances. People will literally do anything to get to the end, and this can completely warp your brain. An example is lying to people, and not being loyal to your alliance. There is a guy on the current season who is very disloyal, and very deceiving. There was a very loyal girl in his alliance who thought she could trust him 100%, but she had no idea that he was not to be trusted. He stated to another tribemate that he would “do anything to make her feel safe, and then vote her out.” What happened the next vote? She got voted out. This shows you how she was too loyal, and how that can come back to get you in the end. In the game of “Survivor”, you can never trust too many people. You never want to be too loyal in this game, because you never know what the outcome will be.

         There are many positives, though, to having a loyal person in your life. Firstly, you have someone that you can count on. If someone is loyal to you, they will be there for you, whether it is because you need help, or just need to talk. Some great examples of this are your family members, and even your best friend(s). You know you can trust them with anything, which proves they are loyal to you. Another thing is that loyal people stick to their word, and do not make up excuses to get out of something. You know you can trust that person to do what they say they will do.
         Being loyal will always be one of those traits that everyone looks for in others. There are positive aspects and negative aspects to being a loyal person. The question is, would you rather have someone who is loyal to you, or someone who is deceptive? The answer is simple, but I will leave that to you to decide.

With High Power Comes Enemies

By: Victoria Vermeer

     In a seat of high power, maintaining popularity can be a difficult goal to accomplish. There are pressures to please people or be at risk of loosing a good reputation. Keeping the wants of subjects and competitors in consideration is a tiring task because of the way people behave.  You can not hold a position of high power without making enemies due to societies jealous, insecure and self-centred attitudes.

     "Jealousy is no more than feeling alone against smiling enemies."-Elizabeth Bowen. Although jealousy is only a state of mind it can cause ordinary people to do outrageous things. Greek mythology shows just how far some would go to have an advantage over those they view as a threat. For example, Hera (the Goddess married to Zeus)often killed Zeus' lovers and children because she was overcome with jealousy. The driving force of these strong feelings must have been the fear of not being good enough for Zeus... Therefore, she eliminated her competition. This is an example of how jealousy can have an impact on ones actions while competing for a highly wanted position. Seeing the opposition do well can create a feeling of panic or fear in someone  for their  future and send them into a frenzy.

     How far would you go to reach your goals? Lying, cheating, sacrifice... assassination? Assassination happens to influential people; one of the reasons prompting someone to assassinate a public figure could be insecurity, again linked to fear. Having the power to change peoples lives could make those under rule feel threatened. For example, many US heads of state have put their lives at risk because in a country as large as theirs, there is usually people who will disagree with their ideas. This political unrest often leads to assassination of Presidents such as, John F Kennedy and Abraham Lincoln. Both men stated were generally well liked by the public so why was the power both Presidents possessed intimidating? This is where jealousy comes into play again. The opposition seeing how well the leaders were doing had a great motive to panic. Assassination definatley would eliminate their competition. 

      Enemies do not always come from competition but from subjects as well. One thing these two ranks of people have in common is that they both want what is best for themselves. If those influenced by power feel an unjust in the system, it will be challenged. For example, a team coach may want to better the teams cardio by incorporating more running into practices. Being able to run faster and longer would benefit the team as a whole; however this could anger some members on the team. This happens in political and work settings as well. Certain sacrifices need to be made sometimes in order for a good outcome to occur, not everyone can always see that though. Because of these self-centred mannerisms it is easy to make enemies.

      It is nearly impossible to please everyone while having an important role in society, school, the work place or even at home. Being a leader is a very taxing duty because there are so many people thoughts to take into account. Even getting to the position is extremely hard because there will be people working against you. Because of those two factors it is easier to make enemies than to make friends while trying to reach your full potential. Popularity is a difficult game due to our nations jealous, insecure, and self-cented mannerisms.

Are there positive and negative consequences for being too loyal? Essay Draft

   Would you ever be willing to die for someone? While many people might immediately think about family and friends when asked if they would ever die for another, others may instead think about a celebrity or public figure. Sometimes in life we encounter situations in which our very trust in our beliefs are tested, pushed to the limit to see our true character. Remaining faithful to what or who you believe in is a quality in a person that is thought of very highly, sometimes even thought of as one of the best qualities to possess. But what happens when that very quality goes to the extreme, nearly fanaticism? This is what you may know as extreme loyalty, and it can be found in many different areas of life. Some of the most common types of extreme loyalty are towards people, social issues, religions or beliefs and countries. In many cases of extreme loyalty, people had been willing to do anything for their obsessions, even die for them. Is this healthy? While there are some benefits to extreme loyalty, it remains a character trait that is mainly detrimental to a person and to society. Fanaticism has commonly occurred throughout history towards heads of state, religions, social causes and beliefs and in personal relationships.

   In many cases throughout history, many heads of state believed in totalitarianism, a concept in which one person exercises total control over a country. A totalitarian leader would want the people to be extremely loyal to the government and therefore would only let themselves be portrayed in a positive light to the public. The y would even make themselves seem God-like and flawless. Due to much propaganda citizens of these countries generally became extremely loyal to their leader, willing to do anything to support them. It could be said that totalitarian leaders brainwashed their subjects in a way, causing immense devotion towards themselves from the public, unfortunately oftentimes resulting in immense harm towards others. A lot of totalitarian leaders were thought of as an ideal people with no faults and were worshiped excessively. To prove their loyalty towards the head of state, many people acted out, doing things like gathering into mobs to attack people who went against what their leader told them to do, robbing places, and even murdering others because they believed that it was just to do so. A very well-known example of this particular type of loyalty would be the Nazi party of Germany, who committed mass genocide against Jewish people in support of their leader Adolf Hitler’s anti-Semitic views. As in the case of Hitler and his Nazis, many times the public’s view of their leader could be severely twisted. This was because of their idealized vision of the person that they have created in their heads, resulting in harm towards others.

   Undoubtedly loyalty is required in any form of friendship or relationship in order to function properly, however, there are many reasons that extreme devotion is very unhealthy in a relationship. First of all, if the loyalty you feel to another is not reciprocated in the same way, it can lead to your loyalty being taken advantage of and used. Sometimes in friendships, one person gives too much and the other is not grateful or appreciative, leading to dissatisfaction in the relationship. Also, loyalty can be thought of in terms of fidelity as well. Perhaps you are incredibly loyal to your significant other, but they might cheat on you with somebody else. This may cause acts of vengeance stemming from emotional pain caused by the lack of loyalty shown from your partner. Extreme loyalty also causes extreme hurt when you are betrayed by a person you are close to, and many crimes happen due to betrayal. Furthermore, if the loyalty from the other person is reciprocated to the same high degree that you are loyal to them, it can cause a very unhealthy relationship of devotion where you are completely dependent on one another. In literature, William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet  showcases a pair of lovers so desperately in love and loyal to each other that in complete blindness they kill themselves by the end in a misunderstanding. Extreme loyalty in relationships is volatile and should be avoided.

   Similarly to loyalty towards heads of state, fanatical loyalty to religion and social issues often causes violence and disorder. Religion is one of the most widely debated topics and has sparked many conflicts over what is correct and what is incorrect. It is one of the most personal topics out there and is very heavy in the belief component. Therefore, many people become much attached to what they believe in, wishing to defend it from persecutors at all costs. Many people choose to use violence to show support for their religion against others because of what they believe in and their loyalty to their beliefs. These acts have sparked many wars throughout history, and there are still conflicts all over the world that are mainly based on religious beliefs. In relation, loyalty to a cause can result in extreme acts as well. Social issues involve so many different people’s opinions and some people believe so deeply in what they are fighting for that they become rebellious and may harm properties and opposing people. Many vocal supporters of different causes ignore other beliefs and ideas even if they make more sense than their own beliefs because of their blind loyalty to a cause or religion.

   Often forgotten is the concept of forced loyalty, commonly seen in a situation I have previously mentioned, totalitarian governments. As in many cases, not everybody in a country will be happy with a leader. However, in totalitarian governments, the leader enforces that people who speak out against them or believe in views different to their own will be persecuted and harmed. Therefore, many citizens are forced to be extremely loyal to their leader unless they wish to be hurt. A common misconception is that you have to like something to be loyal to it, but that is very untrue. Loyalty only requires faithfulness, therefore forced loyalty, while unpleasant, is quite plausible. The problem with forced loyalty is that it can be so personally dissatisfying, and it can be hard to continually prove your loyalty to something that you do not believe in. Others may also be hostile towards them because of what they have been forced to be loyal to because of the association. Overall, forced loyalty is completely detrimental to the person who loyalty has been forced upon.

   While there are many negatives to being too loyal to something, there are some benefits. Often a quality that people look for in others, loyalty can tighten the bonds of friendship like no other quality can. Knowing that you can depend on one another to always defend and protect each other builds trust. It also showcases the reliability of people and makes people comfortable with each other. If there is mutual loyalty in a relationship, the two parties might be more willing to open up to each other because of the trust that was created out of faithfulness to each other. People sometimes consider loyalty to be the most important aspect of a relationship. It is easy to see why, as without a faithfulness to each other there is no trust and a possible lack of fidelity.

   As I mentioned before, fanatical loyalty towards totalitarian rulers can be extremely harmful towards your mental state. However, there is an aspect of positivity to such loyalty. Oftentimes, extreme dedication towards your government or leader results in rewards. These rewards could be through finances and also through the fulfillment of promises made to the public. Even in democratic governments, there is an element of mutual participation. If the public is loyal to the government and does what is required of them (voting, etc.), the government will usually fulfill the promises that they have made to the citizens perhaps before an election. Also, companies often will give gifts to customers that have been with them for a number of years, perhaps through free merchandise that the company produces. In this way, loyalty can be very beneficial to a person.

   In spite of the benefits of extreme loyalty mentioned above, they do not take away the fact that extreme loyalty is mainly detrimental to a person’s character and to the people around them. The fact that fanatical loyalty has led to many conflicts, such as wars, genocides and other crimes is alarming and should not be ignored. Heads of state, especially totalitarian leaders who are persuasive speakers, can influence a great number of people wishing to prove their loyalty to do some very terrible crimes. Under such totalitarian rule, many members of a country might be forced to be loyal to their leader. This could cause immense unhappiness and a loss of self-belief. Extreme devotion in personal relationships can often have disastrous consequences, more so if the loyalty one feels to another is not reciprocated at the same intensity. One can find themselves being taken advantage of or even being betrayed, causing emotional pain. Even worse are the consequences that extreme loyalty towards religions or social issues can often have. Large-scale global conflicts have occurred because of such loyalty and we still struggle with problems derived from that type of fanaticism today. Overall, we must understand that when we have become too loyal towards something, nearly fanatical, we need to stop and evaluate our actions. If we do not, we could do things that might affect our futures in a largely negative way.