Facts are Facts

Over and over and over again, we’ll see studies that indicate racial, ethnic, gender, and age differences in some variable or another. For instance, the infant mortality rate is higher among African American babies in the United States than it is among Caucasians. At the same time, the suicide rate among white males is high compared to black males. Asian women have a longer life expectancy than any other group; in fact, if I’m not mistaken, the life expectancy of a Japanese woman is 85.

 While these facts are interesting in and of themselves, inquiring minds want to know WHY these differences exist.  Rather than getting huffy or annoyed that your group is being spotlighted, it’s more helpful to realize that these findings are TRUE and that if we remain open minded, perhaps then we can change things.  I’d certainly like to have a lower infant mortality rate among all American babies, and I’d like for white males to stop killing themselves…and for black males to stop killing each other!

What’s your feeling on this topic? Should we sweep these and similar issues under the rug and pretend that they don’t exist? Should we ignore differences and just hope problems will rectify themselves? Or do you think we should become more aware of our social differences and inequalities and perhaps become more educated about the WHY of events?

Who Am I?

As the scientific study of human behavior and mental processes, psychology usually focuses on the individual. However, each individual is influenced by a host of sources, one of which is his or her heritage. We’re  unique, and yet we’re a composite of nature and nurture, heritage and environment.

Last week I had the opportunity to spend a few days in New York City, and I was more impressed than ever with the diversity of people living in America. In fact, while on the ferry to Liberty Island, I felt a bit like a minority since no one around me was speaking English. While on Ellis Island, I snapped the above photograph of an exhibit in the museum. These images represent snapshots of America’s citizens, and I found myself wondering, “Where am I? Who am I like? Where did I come from?” While I’m different from millions of others, I’m just like them in many ways too.

Take a few seconds to study the above snapshots and ponder the differences and similarities between people. Can you spot someone like you? Are there those who are totally different? In what way? Are those with different noses and eye color like you in some way? I’m hoping that looking at the picture gives more meaning to the following quote and that you’ll respond to at least one line of it:

Every person is like every other person.
Every person is like some other person.
Every person is like no other person.