In the article "The Ethics of The 'Singularity'," by Alva Noë, the topic of super intelligence grab my attention. There is a theory that computers can evolve  to the point where it they become smarter than us, more intelligence than we can ever obtain. This threat is called the 'singularity.' It seems kind of confusing of how computer could be smarter than man. I mean, humans did build computers. So aren't we dominant and therefore better? Throughout history, humans have evolved in a linear pattern. However, the technology that get created everyday is evolving in a far more exponential direction. So the is a possibility that the 'singularity' theory could hold some truth. However, I believe that it is way too soon to tell. However, the idea that artificial intelligence could be better than human intelligence does really make you think and the possibilities that could come with it.

In the article "Not All Deaf People Want to be 'Fixed'," by Charlie Swinbourne, there are surprisingly some deaf people who do not want to undergo surgery to improve their hearing. Instead, they choose to remain deaf believe it or not. Now I know what you might be thinking. Why would any deaf person WANT to remain deaf? Isn't it a huge disadvantage? These people could never hear sounds, music, or a human voice. Why would anyone pass something like that up? However, a deaf woman named Emily Howlett said that it change her life and she is happier than ever with her decision. Emily Howlett said "My identity is a deaf person now. I didn't go to deaf school, and I didn't grow up with deaf peers, but I'm deaf now and it's me. I'm not sure I want to change that." This really intrigued me because there are deaf people who would do anything for a chance to hear a voice. However, Emily Howlett thinks oppositely. She identifies herself as a deaf person and it's her personal choice. Howlett made so much personal bonds and connections with the deaf community that it change her outlook on life in a positive manner. Her personal choice and the way she identifies herself makes her happy. And if she decision makes her happy, who are we to judge.

Cutting Desires

The idea of someone choosing to amputate their limbs to feel complete or achieve satisfaction is completely insane. BIID is one of those disorders that I couldn’t even fathom because it is so hard to believe that it even exists. In the article, Jesse Ellison defined BIID as “an exceedingly rare condition characterized by an overwhelming desire to amputate one or more healthy limbs or become paraplegic” (Cutting Desire). I believe that the people who suffer from this disorder needs to get extensive treatment and help because in the definition, they want to remove a healthy limb! The limb that they have is perfectly functional and it is not life- threatening like how it would be if it weren’t removed after an accident. Humans have evolved to the point where their bodies would help them survive and would be able to do day-to-day activity very easily. By removing their limbs, they would severely disadvantaged let alone disabled. Something as simple as tying their own shoes would be a challenge. However, what shocked me was how far some of the BIID sufferers went to achieve what they wanted. According to the article, one sufferer froze his leg, another decided to shoot his leg off with a shotgun, and one person died from gangrene travelling to another country to illegally amputate his limb (Cutting Desire). Obviously, the people who suffer from this disorder struggle with something a lot more than wanting their limbs removed. One suffer named Alex says, “We’re all trying to figure out how we got it and how to get rid of it. It’s a mental torture. And the only way to get rid of it is by getting the surgery” (Cutting Desire). Alex speaks for the majority of the BIID sufferers that they don’t feel who they are with their limbs. BIID sufferers feel like they aren’t meant to be born with an arm or a leg. This kind of feeling and mentality would concern or confuse most people who do not suffer from this disorder. I myself would even put myself in this category. They want to remove something so useful that most amputees would want to have back. However, since I do not suffer from this condition, I cannot make an accurate assumption on how it must feel to have BIID. I am assuming that these people struggle with identifying themselves of who they are rather than who they feel like they were meant to be. It must feel awful to live everyday with something that they can’t stand the sight of, especially when it is connected to their own body. The worst part is that the only way to achieve satisfaction is to actually amputate their limb, which is extremely painful and permanent. If down the line, a BIID sufferer realized that is was a mistake amputating their limb, they cannot go back. I personally believe that BIID sufferers should receive extensive treatment and therapy. If it gets to a point where they still can’t stand the sight of their limb and decides to take matters into their own hands, they should seek professional assistance in removing the limb. The last thing we want is a human being dying from trying to remove their limbs because no one would help them.

Bodybuilding Healthy? Or Nah?

Rough Draft #1

            The subject of body image would often concern people with society often placing standards on how people should look like, how they should dress, how much they should weigh, etc. Society carries a very judgmental persona where it criticizes people of how they should be rather than letting them be themselves. When people do not fit the criteria of society’s unwritten and arbitrary regimen of how they should look, they often get criticized or judged at first glance. There are cases where some people modify their bodies to achieve self-satisfaction where others would find them concerning and challenging the notion of what is healthy. These bodies have been exposed to extreme and strict routines to align with a healthy lifestyle due to a goal in mind wanting to be achieved.

            Bodybuilding is a form of body modification that many people have negative views on due to its looks, appeal, and the question whether it’s healthy to achieve such a physique. One person who constantly gets judged by others is female bodybuilder, Roxanne Edwards. In an interview, Roxanne mentions, “I’m just a human being who got the chance to see the world at a different vantage point.” Roxanne was able to find what she needed to be comfortable within her own skin. She utilized bodybuilding as an outlet to be happy and satisfied with her own body. Many men and women have insecurities of their own bodies where they are unhappy with themselves and they find flaws every time they look at themselves in the mirror. People who are mentally healthy would have confidence within themselves and they would always want to achieve something better. Bodybuilding is often thought of something out of the norm especially when talking about femininity. However, Roxanne addresses that femininity is about believing that she is beautiful no matter how she looks or what others think. In fact, loosing her breasts did not make her feel less of a woman. Instead she embraced it and continued to work hard achieving the “peeled” physique because that is what she finds attractive and what she enjoys doing. Roxanne’s mindset was always geared towards achieving something better. Her bodybuilding journey not only helped her become physically strong but it helped her build a strong character, which aligns with what is healthy.

            There is skepticism whether putting your body under intense stress and using supplements and steroids while bodybuilding is healthy. Most people would agree that the use of steroids could potentially be dangerous. However, Roxanne has been bodybuilding for years and understands how her body works and reacts to diet and exercise. In fact, she mentions that she is able to eat McDonalds before competition because she understands that her fast metabolism allows her to. In most cases, fast food isn’t considered a healthy dietary option at all. However, Roxanne understands the proper foods and nutrients she should take to achieve her “peeled” physique without damaging her body. Roxanne’s use of steroids would concern many people due to its negative side effects. However, she explains that she uses steroids to help her look harder during competition. She is fully aware of the repercussions that could potentially happen when she uses steroids, which is why she doesn’t use it for a long period of time. Overall, the steroids, supplements, diet, and exercise she exposed herself to wasn’t severely damaging her body at all. Instead, she made use of them to help her achieved the physique she wanted.

            Bodybuilding is not only a physical exercise but also a mental exercise. Most people who choose to go in the path of bodybuilding know that the journey isn’t easy. Bodybuilding requires a lot of dedication and stamina in order to be successful. This kind of motivation aligns with what is healthy because it does build mental strength. Kathy Acker mentions, “Bodybuilding can be seen to be nothing but failure. A bodybuilder is always working around failure.” Kathy Acker understands that in order to build muscle, she needs to break down the muscle. Breaking down muscle means that pain is inevitable and Kathy needs to be disciplined enough to tolerate it. Kathy explains that she needs to push hard and beyond her limit in order to get the results she wants. Typically, Kathy would go to the gym and try to lift as many sets as she can until her muscles can’t take it anymore. Not only does Kathy work on her endurance but she tries to lift an amount that is usually beneath her fingertips. This kind of routine tells her body that it doesn’t know what it’s in for and it adapts to which it can eventually succeed. This intense training not only tests its physical capabilities, but her mental endurance. Most people would quit because their bodies endure so much pain until they feel it isn’t worth it. However, a healthy mind would stay dedicated enough where they would reach for goals that may seem out of reach. Nothing seems more satisfying than witnessing results that have been desired for a long time.

One of the biggest surprises that most people would see if they were walking down the street is a female bodybuilder. Typically, when people hear the word “bodybuilding,” often what comes to mind are people with huge muscles with a lot of definition who used steroids to help them achieve such a physique. Bodybuilding is also thought of to be a male dominated industry or sport. However, Roxanne Edwards was interviewed on what it was like being a black female bodybuilder. Roxanne seemed to have a very positive outlook on what it means to be a bodybuilder. She seemed to understand who she is as a human being. During the interview, Roxanne understood how her body worked and reacted when it came to diet and exercise. All those misconceptions that bodybuilding is an unhealthy activity is understood by Roxanne and she takes a cautious approach to her routine. While bodybuilding has changed her physically, it also changed her outlook on life. Roxanne understood that a female bodybuilding isn’t what other people call “feminine.” However, she explains that the meaning of femininity is open to her own interpretation. In a sense, she wanted to tell people that the “perfect body” doesn’t exist. In the interview, Roxanne says, “Femininity isn’t about your breasts, femininity is how you carry it.” Her view on what it means to be a woman is being comfortable within your own skin and believing that you are beautiful no matter how you look or what others think. She mentions how loosing her breasts didn’t make her feel less of a woman. Instead, her hard work and bodybuilding journey made her feel happy and it was something she enjoyed doing. Even within the bodybuilding community, there is judgment for lacking breasts that is desirable on a woman. If a female bodybuilder with implants poses on a stage next to another female bodybuilder who lacks any breasts, chances are the female with the implants would be chosen. However, this doesn’t stop Roxanne from doing what she likes. She does this for herself and is proud of everything she’s accomplished. In fact, she mentioned how she enjoyed posing nude in front of people. For most people, posing nude is something that they would never consider doing out of insecurity or fear. However, the bodybuilding journey taught her to be confident and her insecurity didn’t lie in what most societies consider the “perfect female body” with the curvaceous hourglass figure. Instead, she her insecurities lie in dealing with the people who don’t understand the path she took to get to where she is. Roxanne said, “I’m just a human being who got the chance to see the world at a different vantage point.” She tells us that different people view themselves in many different ways. Her unique view on body image gave her what she needed to achieve the ideal body that she always wanted and the one that fits her. Roxanne is a woman who achieved what most people struggle to find for years. She was able to build a strong character mentally and physically which goes hand and hand.