Empathy

According to A Whole New Mind by Dan Pink, there are six essential elements that one should possess in order to thrive in this new era, and they are:

1. Design
2. Story
3. Symphony
4. Empathy
5. Play
6. Meaning

After watching Dan Pink's interview with Oprah about his new book, A Whole New Mind, I took the Empathy Quotient quiz to see how empathetic I am.

Q:How empathetic are you?

A: Based from the test, I got 65 which translated to I am above empathetic.

Q:Do you agree with the findings of the test?

A: I agree with this result because I am really self-aware of my character.

Q:Can you believe you can be taught empathy?

A: I think I agree with Dan Pink's sentiment on this question. Yes and No. Through parenting, kids can possibly learn empathy at a young age because their parents believe that being empathetic is a necessity in one's character. On the other hand, I think that empathy can also be inborn in one's personality. I think you can argue either way.

Q:Please mention someone (you don't have to give their specific name)you think shows empathy citing why you consider them to be an empathetic person and name someone you know (do NOT identify) is lacking in empathy citing examples of their lack of empathy.

A: The one person that shows extreme empathy for others is one of my good friends. She is the listener in our group. She is someone who you would go to for a deep conversation or problem. Essentially, her caring, compassionate, understanding, and kind personality makes me think that she is super empathetic. On the other hand, I also know a friend who is not empathetic at all. She displays an ego-centric persona; someone who cares for her well-being more than others, and she loves being the center of the attention. She ultimately has traits that make her not empathetic.

Pure Fasincation

Recently, I read an article, "Understanding Pica Behavior: A Review for Clinical and Education". What I find so intriguing about this particular article is the absurd facts about Pica. It is surreal that pregnant ladies have cravings for soil, clay, bricks, and charcoal. It states that Africa women consume soil during their pregnancies because they believe in the "soil's magical potential to ensure future offspring." This cultural tradition and belief flabbergasted me. Moreover, Pica is highly associated with other Developmental Disabilities (DD) such as the Prader-Willi Syndrome, a genetic disorder resulting in mental retardation and hyperphagia, a disorder of compulsive overeating. After reading this article, I want to know more about the associations Pica have with other disorders. Nonetheless, I learned so many interesting and fascinating facts and information that will definitely help me prepare for my final HMP project.

Works Cited

"Pica Eating Disorder Causes, Treatments: Pica Syndrome Symptoms." Home Remedies and Natural Cures for Common Illnesses. Web. 24 Jan. 2011.

"Pica: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia." National Library of Medicine-National Institutes of Health. Web. 24 Jan. 2011.

"Stiegler, Lillian. "Understanding Pica Behavior: A Review for Clinical and Education Professionals." Accessmylibrary.com. Gales. Web. 24 Jan. 2011.