Sr. Yr.

In three years and a quarter at UCSD so far, I have not yet taken a class that really stimulated my mind and/or provoked interesting thoughts that I’ll remember after the finals cramming sesh.

Ladies and gents, it’s only been two weeks, but I think I’ve finally found it. The COGN 150 senior seminar with Ayhan Aytes. Topic: The Network Society.

We had the most interesting conversation today about the distinctions between communities and societies and their role on the mind of the individual. Based off Georg Simmel’s Metropolis and Mental Life, our discussion centered around individuals and how living in a metropolis naturally bring stimuli to one’s life. Each individual can choose to respond or ignore these changes, which ultimately is what distinguishes us and our rational and emotional being from our neighbor’s. In doing this, we create a protective, yet porous mental shell around ourselves. Many people put on a performative mask in society to make them seem more appealing in order to ‘get ahead’ - to earn more money, to get a better job, to have cooler friends. But in the end, what is it all worth if you lose sight of the communal ties?

If you’ve actually read all this, you’re probably confused. I’ll break it down into college-speak. While you’re in college, you make communal ties everywhere - with your roommates, classmates, teammates, whoever. Once everyone graduates, they move on to bigger and better things - jobs, money, families, etc. Naturally, the number of people you talk to begin at say, 100, then dwindle to 50, 25, and maybe if you’re lucky, 2 by the time you’re married with two kids. It’s so easy to lose sight of the communal ties for societal (translate: monetary) ties. It’s practically inevitable. And I’m quite terrified this will happen to me very soon.

So this was pretty boring to most of you, but I guess this just really hit home for me, being a senior and all…anyways, I find this class incredibly interesting so far.

Goodnight Tumblr :)