As most know, it is impossible to survive on intelligence alone. While gaining intelligence develops the process of self-growth, wisdom is the vital necessity of success and survival. In different circumstances, the knowledge obtained as street and book smarts is interpreted and valued in different ways for different individuals. The question on the importance of book smart and street smart has been greatly debated. Although both forms of knowledge are essential to one’s development in reasoning, it is often questioned which form holds a level of greater importance. In literature, the way and reason people gather knowledge helps develop an individual’s character.
In the case study A Route to Well-being: Intelligence vs. Wise Reasoning, conducted by multiple researchers, it was found that the ability to have superior reasoning abilities resulted in a greater well-being in individuals. In the research study, it was also found that “wise reasoning is associated with greater life satisfaction, less negative affect, better social relationships, less depressive rumination, more positive vs. negative words used in speech, and greater longevity” (Grossmann.) There was also a beneficial connection with socio-economic factors and even personality traits. The correlation between wisdom aka “street smarts” and intelligence aka “book smarts” proves highly important to the ability for a person to grow or develop.
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“Street smarts” refers to the intelligence developed through the experiences and observations perceived by an individual. The knowledge gained through this experiential process provides one with the skills in order to assimilate and thrive in urban and everyday life. Street smarts essentially correlates to the ability to survive in such environments. Experiential learning occurs in many every day occurrences. From watching television shows to walking down the street, people are always in observance and learning. The ability to learn through experience makes developing a more personal form because it is influenced by a more personalized conceptualization unique to the development of a specific individual.
The theory of experiential learning, as defined by David Kolb, is represented by a cycle of four stages; concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation. The first stage of concrete experience is defined by the encounter of a new experience or the reinterpretation of a preexisting one. After this encounter an individual is prompted to reflect on the observations made which hold importance in the understanding of the situation. Once reflected on, an individual is able to raise new ideas on the new experience or is able to question and modify the ideas of an existing concept. After concluding and learning from the experience, one can actively experiment and apply their ideas to the world around them.
In contrast, “book smarts” or academic intelligence refers to the skills possessed from knowledge acquired in formal, academic settings. This form of intelligence is generalized around information gathered in academic institutions such as Mathematics, Sciences, Literature, etc. A person considered to be book smart, typically is viewed as intelligent and can learn and retain information. The emphasis on scholarly intelligence is passed down and stressed greatly by those who are able to obtain it. There are also many presumptions that those who lack book smarts are less than and cannot succeed. However, it has been proven that the idea of street wisdom burns a brighter light.
Street Smarts vs. Book Smarts: The Figured World of Smartness in the Lives of Marginalized, Urban Youth, a study by Beth Hatt, observes the perspectives of “smartness” amongst marginalized youth in the United States. Hatt develops the idea of “smartness” being manifested in the academic identity that is greatly placed on students. In the study, it was found that the youth placed a higher value towards being street smart in their environment rather than being scholarly or “book” smart. (Hatt) Involuntarily, children in the middle- and lower-class status are already aware of their “placement” in relation to obtaining smartness in school. Already as early of the age of a preschooler, these children are represented as having a low ability to learn and be smart.
In order to remove this stigma in which Hatt presents, many people work towards advancing the mindsets of the youth. In the memoir Between the World and Me, narrator Ta-Nehisi Coates stresses to his son the importance of survival in today’s society, especially as a young African- American boy. As someone raised in the rough streets of Baltimore, Maryland, Coates’s insight and intellect on living in an environment stems greatly from his experiences and what he was able to gain from them. From walking down to the streets of his neighborhood, listening to the people’s interactions, and observing everyday life amongst his fellow black peers, Coates gained a great deal of “street smarts.” He was able to learn the unofficial “laws” of his neighborhood which helped him stay out of fights and altercations. By learning the guidelines of living in such dangerous areas, Coates was able to establish himself and his territory.
This experiential learning that he underwent provided him the skills necessary for him to survive in the world as “these laws were essential to the security of my body” (Coates.) For Coates, learning about the ways to survive in the streets of his community at the time, held a larger importance to the academic intelligence he gained in school. For him and many other individuals growing up in an environment like his, it was so imperative to know how to survive socially that it robbed him of the things he could have learned academically. Likewise, the stress of surviving in his streets also hindered him from enjoying the everyday beauty that life had to offer. For him, there was a large compromise for the survival of his body. Coate’s beliefs on learning to survive are greatly supported by Hatt’s case study. “To the youth, ‘street smarts’ are more important because they are connected to being able to maneuver through structures in their lives such as poverty, the police, street culture, and abusive ‘others’ (Hatt.) The students in Hatt’s case study define street smarts as the intelligence needed when encountering the obstacles placed in front of them.
The way people view the knowledge that can be acquired outside of an academic setting can vary in many ways. Culturally, individuals who are marginalized and are at an overall disadvantage typically key in on the knowledge gained through one’s cultural experiences. In the memoir Losing My Cool by Thomas Chatterton Williams, the reader follows the journey in which Thomas embarks on to find himself. At an early age, his sense of self is challenged, particularly in concern with his racial identity. As a mixed child it is hard for Thomas to discern between which culture or race to identify. He is ultimately told by his parents that he is labeled as a black boy. “Despite my mother’s being white, we were a black and not an interracial family. Both of my parents stressed this distinction and the result was that, growing up, race was not so complicated an issue in our household” (Williams 4.) However, it is when Williams makes the decision for himself to live a life based off of the influences of black culture that he takes on the stereotypical representations portrayed in modern day media and everyday life.
A prime example of how Thomas utilizes the idea of streets smarts is when he first goes to the barbershop. In this predominately black barbershop, Williams observes the interactions of young black boys and grown black men. It was these people who became models for who Thomas wanted to become. “I decided I wanted whatever it was that protected them” (Williams 9.) Although Thomas is able to go years living a life in black culture, he soon realizes that he would not be able to “protect” himself solely on how he perceived black boys to act. Williams had to realize that the street smarts that the people in his community had was because they relied on it for survival. Although he considered himself black, Thomas did not grow up in the same type of struggle as these black boys that he modeled after. His idea of wisdom, which although it does help protect him, is a vail and merely a double identity.
Thomas’s ability to obtain these various forms of knowledge was greatly enabled by his parents. Like that of Ta-Nahesi, Thomas’s father, Pappy, grew up in the dangerous environment of the South and was not encouraged to obtain scholarly intelligence. As a child, although his interests in books were prevalent, he struggled with the acceptance of it from his own family and peers, as he was told that he should not want to read. During this time period, the progression of intellect in black people was not a supported concept. As a result, he strived to inculcate in his children the knowledge that he himself was deprived of as a kid. It can be seen that Pappy instills in his children both street and book smarts. From providing SAT prep to teaching his children to play chess, Pappy strived to instill a sense of intelligence in his children. Pappy was able to appreciate the street smarts he picked up and give more to his children.
Another example on how person’s knowledgeable self is developed can be viewed through the character Janie in Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. Set in the early 1900s, the novel focuses on the growth of Janie, a mixed-race woman in the peak of racial discord and slavery. Janie was raised by her grandmother, Nanny, a black slave who wanted the best for granddaughter. In contrast to previous literary examples, Their Eyes Were Watching God has little to no emphasis on the necessity of book smarts which was a foreign concept to blacks during this time period. During this time, blacks gained knowledge through the struggles they had to experience and from the lessons and stories passed down from generation to generation.
The idea of wisdom in presented during the time period in Their Eyes Were Watching God also focuses on the way of survival. However, for Janie as woman, she falls under a different set of survival “laws” than those that someone like Coates had to utilize. Surviving for a black woman meant knowing her place in power amongst the people around her, specifically whites followed by black men. Nanny tries to aid Janie at a young age with the wisdom that she has gained throughout her life in regards to being able to protect her granddaughter. In her eyes, in order to survive, Janie would need to be able to advance and have financially security, which is why she marries Janie off to Logan Killicks. “Tain’t Logan Killicks Ah wants you to have, baby, it’s protection” (Hurston 15.)
As presented in the case studies and literary examples, the knowledge gained through experience is vital to an individual’s success. Although being book smart is also very important in developing intellectual growth, it is street smarts which provide wisdom leading to self-development. For many people like Ta-Nehisi Coates and Thomas Chatterton Williams, street smarts is a tactic for survival and protection. Likewise, Hatt’s study analyzes the perception of “smartness” by marginalized youth shredding light on their imperative need for street smarts in order to get passed obstacles in life but to also succeed. The influences on how one interprets what is gained from experiential learning vary and are based on aspects such cultural marginalization, the search for self-identity, and even other past experiences. Time after time, life proves to continually develop and benefit from the experiences people take.
Euthanasia And Physician Assisted Suicide
Sometimes people criticize euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide from what is called “pro-life” perspectives and other times from “pro-death” perspectives; each perspective has a different argument about their position and the side they are on in this debate. This paper will review some of these arguments that have been made to date, as well as some of the more recent developments in this issue (Dieterle 129). To begin with, many people argue that euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide are morally acceptable because it is a personal choice that involves the individual, who they feel, has the right to end their own life as long as they are of sound mind.
This argument is known as “pro-choice”; it states that a person should have the right to make medical decisions such as this one. For instance, Dr. Jack Kevorkian was a controversial figure, to begin with, when it came to euthanasia. Kevorkian’s particular choice of methods was physician-assisted suicide, and he used this therapy on more than 130 patients in his career (Dieterle 130). This proved to be controversial in the United States; however, he was often praised as a compassionate man, and many people agreed with his choice.
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The argument against this is that ethical people should not be able to go around killing innocent people without it being a crime. For example, if I were to go into a nursing home and shoot all of the elderly patients inside who need constant care, I would still be considered a criminal by society (Dieterle 135). However, I am allowed to kill myself if I am suffering from terminal illness or psychosis. The fact that it is legal makes me wonder how much of the public’s opinion is actually based on “common sense” rather than on something as complex as ethics.
Peter retired early at 64, allowing him to relax and enjoy life. He was ready to retire and spend his time traveling and spending time with his grandkids. He had just finished building a house in Morelos, Mexico, and it was time to move in and start living there. In each situation, Peter is a source of joy. His charisma and charity entice everyone he encounters. He is reliable, trustworthy, and a hard worker. If he could, he would give you his shirt from his back. Like others his age, Peter was experiencing the aches and pains that come with aging. After seeing his bloodwork irregularities, the doctor referred him to the emergency department. Peter is in the hospital for four days, undergoing a battery of tests before getting the worst possible news. You do not want your doctor to speak the following three words: Cancer exists, and you have it. A terminal diagnosis may be a life-changing experience for the patient and their loved ones. You’ll have many questions when you get over the first shock. There will be many unanswered issues, or the answers will fall short of your expectations. When you are diagnosed with a terminal condition, all you can think about is when you will depart this world. This is why, in some instances, euthanasia should be legalized. Because these people have little chance of recovery, euthanasia alleviates their suffering, and everyone deserves a dignified death; it should be legal.
If you have been diagnosed with a terminal condition, there is no hope of recovery. A doctor cannot deliver such dreadful news in a kind or pleasant manner. You’re feeling a wide variety of emotions. It’s normal to experience strong emotions such as rage, despair, and denial. When you are informed you are dying, your body becomes cold, your eyesight narrows, and you seem unable to grasp anything else. Many individuals cannot conceive of dying in such a horrendous, horrible way. Losing a loved one to a terminal condition is a heartbreaking experience for everyone involved. Death’s reaction is neither acceptable nor improper. The same is valid for how people respond to the diagnosis. Priorities must be established, and choices must be made. For many people, planning one’s funeral is a taboo subject. Although it may be difficult, everyone must be aware of your approach. Your health will eventually deteriorate, your organs shut down, and the agony becomes unbearable. At such point, the choice of euthanasia becomes available.
Being diagnosed with a terminal illness reveals that one’s death is near. The term “euthanasia” is a combination of the Greek words E.U. (“good”) and Thanatos (“death”) (which means “death”). This phrase refers to the deliberate act of ending one’s life to avoid further suffering. Users share and use user-generated content on Wikimedia Commons. Everyone wishes for a peaceful or dignified death. The ideal end is quick and painless, such as during sleep or in an accident. When a patient requests euthanasia, the doctor may administer a lethal dose of medication to end the patient’s life immediately. Francis Bacon, who lived in the 17th century, was one of the first known people to use it for therapeutic purposes (Baker). As part of medically assisted suicide, a physician prescribes and administers a lethal dose of medication to a patient, who then voluntarily commits suicide.
Those who seek euthanasia or other forms of physician-assisted suicide are motivated primarily by a desire for pain relief. These treatments, previously only available to patients with terminal illnesses, are becoming more widely available. Dr. Chabot was the first psychiatrist to help a mentally and physically healthy patient commit suicide due to severe depression. (McQuoid-Mason) The practice of euthanasia on otherwise healthy people changed the definition of suicide. A person cannot exist if they are constantly in pain. For example, Peter Kettelslegers has frequently beaten himself because he can no longer bear the pain of his cluster headaches. (McQuoid-Mason) Kettelslegers is considering euthanasia because he believes there is no point in living if all he will do is suffer. He is averse to causing further distress for his family, Alex and Thomas. (McQuoid-Mason) Simona, 85 years old, has had enough of this world and is ready to leave. Simone has obtained three signatures from licensed physicians to commit suicide by lethal injection. (McQuoid-Mason).
As she prepares to leave her senior residence, she ties up any loose ends with her neighbors. According to the doctor, she can rest easy knowing that she and her daughter will share a grave. As a result, many people have strong feelings about the morality and feasibility of euthanasia and assisted suicide. They see the world through their distinctive lens, shaped by their values and principles. It is difficult to bring up the subject if you or someone you know does not have the same condition. It’s difficult to watch a loved one’s health deteriorate. It must be painful for everyone around them when a loved one finally emerges from their shell, only to discover that they have drastically changed. When a person’s quality of life is significantly reduced due to illness or injury, they have the option of dying with dignity. No one would ever be forced to endure physical pain in an ideal world. If they must suffer any longer, let them choose the time and place of their death. They can die whenever they want rather than when the illness does.
Terminally ill people should have the option to end their lives with dignity if it is a human right. After doing more research on the subject, I discovered documentaries discussing each approach’s advantages and disadvantages. Guzaarish is the first. In the film Guzaarish, Ethan Mascarenhas begs his radio audience for permission to make a lifelong commitment. Ethan was paralyzed after a tragic accident. After 14 years, he has decided to end his pain and the pain of those around him. The experience of R. Guzaarah as a person with paraplegia demonstrates how difficult it is to live with this condition. Ethan’s doctor, like the vast majority of other doctors whose patients request euthanasia, is opposed to the practice and is thus forced to make a difficult decision: treat Ethan or let him die. Every physician is responsible for providing compassionate care to dying patients. However, according to the Hippocratic Oath and the World Medical Association’s Geneva Declaration, euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide are unethical and thus violate international conventions. (Nunes) Consider how difficult it would be to rely on someone else for your entire emotional and physical well-being. Even though it is difficult, I would make the same choice in your situation. You could also watch You Don’t Know Jack. I couldn’t put into words how I felt in the aftermath. A new film is based on the biography of Jack Kevorkian, an assisted suicide advocate convicted of murder for his role in Lou Gehrig’s death. As stated by (Levinson), Mr. Kevorkian’s initial intention to alleviate his victims’ suffering is evident, but his subsequent acts seem to violate the very premise of euthanasia. He seemed to rush to see how many victims he could aid end their pain while avoiding punishment. This is why there is a questionable threshold and intense debate: things might quickly deteriorate.
The risk of a slippery slope leading to the authorization of forced euthanasia is a compelling moral argument against euthanasia. Because it is a step away from the actual act of murder and hence more difficult to police, there is a danger that murderers will not be brought to justice if involuntary euthanasia becomes legal. Furthermore, there is concern that doctors may murder terminally sick patients without their knowledge or agreement. In the worst-case scenario, they would begin murdering people to fill empty hospital beds or save money. These instances demonstrate how dangerous it would be to enable the legalization of murder to pave the way for the legalization of euthanasia on demand. Those who favor euthanasia say that terminally ill patients should be able to terminate their lives whenever they wish. Euthanasia supporters claim that individuals should be able to choose when and how they want to die, regardless of the repercussions to their health. The reasoning is often that human rights should already be respected and that more limits are unnecessary. Those who feel that killing should be criminalized to preserve the rights of those who may profit from it promote respect for a person’s right to life, which assures that they will not be slain without their consent. It might be argued that no one has the right to oppose another person’s desire to die as long as no damage is done to others since death is a personal problem. This school of thought holds that voluntary killing is ethically justified as long as it satisfies the core interests of all parties and does not violate the victims’ or murderers’ fundamental rights.
As a result, it’s reasonable to assume that most individuals would prefer not to bring up the matter. Many individuals, perhaps selfishly, believe that euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide are unethical because they do not want their loved ones to die prematurely despite their pain. It is unbearable for them to live in any way other than their physical body. Religious and political concerns drive some people’s hostility to this method. Nobody prepares for the death of a loved one. A wide range of variables must be considered. There are undoubtedly convincing arguments on both sides, and the debate over legalizing assisted suicide continues to this day. If a terminally ill patient’s life is nothing but agony, I believe it is acceptable to help them die if they have the necessary permissions. However, I consider various arguments against capital punishment, such as the possibility of a slippery slope. In my opinion, the option of voluntary execution makes it easier to get away with other crimes, including murder. Because I can see merit in both proponents’ and opponents’ arguments for legalizing capital punishment, I find myself in the unenviable position of being unable to reach a firm conclusion one way or the other. I can’t feel that this is against the rules of my religious upbringing. Contrarily, seeing a loved one’s painful death has led me to believe that euthanasia should be an option for terminally ill patients who are in pain. Even if they don’t end up using it, many people value just having the choice.
Works Cited
- Dieterle, Jill M. “Physician assisted suicide: a new look at the arguments.” Bioethics 21.3 (2007): 127-139.
- McQuoid-Mason, David J. “Doctor-assisted suicide: What is the present legal position in South Africa?.” SAMJ: South African Medical Journal 105.7 (2015): 526-527. http://www.samj.org.za/index.php/samj/article/view/10058
- Baker, Robert. Review of A Concise History of Euthanasia: Life, Death, God, and Medicine. Bulletin of the History of Medicine, vol. 80 no. 4, 2006, p. 789-790. Project MUSE, doi:10.1353/bhm.2006.0000.
