Failure. That fear may seem like a mild inconvenience, but in reality, it has prevented me from doing some potentially amazing things. I try to imagine the what I would be able to do if I knew I couldn't fail, and the possibilities truly seem endless. Maybe I'd start a business or move to a new country and start a new life. If I knew I couldn't fail and things wouldn't be any worse than they are now (not saying things are bad, they're actually pretty good) I would be able to do almost anything and go anywhere.
I'm not a risk-taker and that is simply because of my fear of failure. If a so-called "risk" contains even a slight chance of failure, I would have a really hard time taking that risk because of it. Even if a failure would result in no ill consequences, I still fear it. For example, I cannot get myself to apply to colleges that I am not sure if I can be admitted. I fear a letter in the mail that would contain a denial or wait list. So, I've only applied to schools that I know I'll get into. It's odd, really. I know that I'm far from alone, though.
It may root back to critics of my past. Failures, when you're young, result in being laughed at or mocked. If you raise your hand in class and get the question wrong, everybody looks at you and makes you feel really small. Middle school is the prime time for fearing failure, as so many classmates are downright cruel. Middle school is where people are trying to find out who they really are. In the process, many go along with people that have power. Often, people with "power" are the mean ones. There is a lot of unkindness during that age, and although it may not have affected a whole lot me as far as I'm aware a whole lot, I'm sure many people are afraid of failure because of how people made them feel in middle school.
In golf, which is something I play A LOT, I fear shots sometimes. Golf is all about confidence, and if you know that you're going to hit a really good shot, you will. If you fear a potentially risky shot over the water, you'll hit it in the water. The rounds where I'm loose and I'm certain that all of my practice has paid off are the ones where I play out of my mind. As soon as it's pressured and, I forget about how much I have practiced, and I often have fear out on the course.
Fear of failure is something that I'd love to get over. I'm not sure how to go about that, but it needs to be done.
Friday, September 27, 2013
Monday, September 23, 2013
Wiki Leaks
This whole issue of Wiki Leaks in an interesting one, that's for sure. Some people have very strong feelings on the topic, and those go both ways.
Many people see Julian Assange as a heroic figure, as he has helped leak different things that have actually changed the world. The election in Kenya is the best example that comes to mind. Because of that single leak, the election was swung by 10%. That changed the course of the election. For this, Wiki Leaks and Assange are viewed in a glorious and heroic light.
On the flip side, others think of Assange as just some trouble maker who doesn't have the right to leak this information. At times, the info that has been leaked has hurt some people in the process. One example would be Chelsea Manning. In a way, Wiki Leaks basically made her look like a traitor to the United States. That fact has, most likely, ruined the rest of her life.
In addition, some leaks are quite brutal make American soldiers look very heartless in the process. This is not something that most American enjoy seeing, and that makes many people dislike Wiki Leaks.
The main question remains: did Assange have the right to release these documents Although there are U.S. laws that state that the government has the right to have privacy over documents that have to do with national defense but according to the article, no news source has ever officially been punished for releasing secrets. I strongly believe that this fact has to do with the First Amendment. That protects our right to free speech, and I simply cannot see any court ruling against this because of the First Amendment.
A ton of people think of Assange as a hero. If he received a really harsh punishment, or if an "accident" happened to him, there would be a lot of anger out there. People would probably start riots and the government would have even more problems on its hands. I think that the government will stick to their current plan and just leave him be where he is. It's a passive strategy, but both the government and Assange are stuck right where they are, and there doesn't appear to be a way that either party would win if they came out of their stalemate.
Many people see Julian Assange as a heroic figure, as he has helped leak different things that have actually changed the world. The election in Kenya is the best example that comes to mind. Because of that single leak, the election was swung by 10%. That changed the course of the election. For this, Wiki Leaks and Assange are viewed in a glorious and heroic light.
On the flip side, others think of Assange as just some trouble maker who doesn't have the right to leak this information. At times, the info that has been leaked has hurt some people in the process. One example would be Chelsea Manning. In a way, Wiki Leaks basically made her look like a traitor to the United States. That fact has, most likely, ruined the rest of her life.
In addition, some leaks are quite brutal make American soldiers look very heartless in the process. This is not something that most American enjoy seeing, and that makes many people dislike Wiki Leaks.
The main question remains: did Assange have the right to release these documents Although there are U.S. laws that state that the government has the right to have privacy over documents that have to do with national defense but according to the article, no news source has ever officially been punished for releasing secrets. I strongly believe that this fact has to do with the First Amendment. That protects our right to free speech, and I simply cannot see any court ruling against this because of the First Amendment.
A ton of people think of Assange as a hero. If he received a really harsh punishment, or if an "accident" happened to him, there would be a lot of anger out there. People would probably start riots and the government would have even more problems on its hands. I think that the government will stick to their current plan and just leave him be where he is. It's a passive strategy, but both the government and Assange are stuck right where they are, and there doesn't appear to be a way that either party would win if they came out of their stalemate.
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