As I sit here at my computer I restlessly glance at the clock; it’s 12:40 AM, approximately twelve hours until this essay is due. How could I have once again gotten myself into this terrible situation? I would love to say that there’s some amazing excuse for my blatant irresponsibility, that some horrible catastrophe took place inhibiting the start of this paper. Yet sadly there is none; I can present no justification of this other than my own slothfulness. And even as I type I debate over the topic. Various ideas swirl in my head like a typhoon, none of which seem very appealing. I need to write about something I know, something that is like second nature, and most importantly something that I can bullshit about for a full 2½ pages.
Of course, how could I be so blind! What better to write about then procrastination itself; over the years I have pretty much perfected the art of postponement. To the average person this may seem like an uncomplicated task; you may be thinking “But Chad, anyone can wait till the last minute!” And I grant that in that assumption you would be entirely correct; any idiot can be lazy. However the question is; can just any idiot wait until the last minute, pull an all-niter, and actually emerge victorious. Because that my friend takes finesse, and is not a feat for any mere amateur. So I encourage you to grab a cup of coffee and take a seat because for the next couple of hours I will be taking you on a crash course through the art of procrastination.
The most important thing to consider when faced with blank paper and an equally empty cranium is the possibility of an extension of the deadline. This being the most ideal situation for the reason that it gives you all the more time to goof off; who knows maybe by midnight tomorrow you’ll be in a more productive mood. Convincing a professor to grant you an extension is not an easy task and may require a smidgen of deceitfulness; but seeing as how by this point you’re probably pretty desperate it shouldn’t present much of moral dilemma. Always remember that it is extremely important to measure up your victim and choose the most effective bait. While some professors are more cooperative and will grant you the extension with a simple excuse like “My great aunt Bertha died”, others can be rather a pain and may require a plea more elaborate such as “The doctors say it may be a tumor and ...
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...mind away from the task at hand. If you can stay awake you should have your essay done before too long. Although it will probably be an error filled confusing piece of trash, don’t stress, go to sleep. In the morning when you wake up proof-read your work, don’t panic! I know it’s probably pretty bad but it can be fixed. Go through and thoroughly read, fixing all errors and doing your best to make it somewhat decent. Once you’re done drag your lifeless body to class and turn in your finished work, hopefully you’ll receive a somewhat acceptable grade. If by chance you don’t, refer back to the bribery, blackmail, and threaten section of the paper.
In the true spirit of this essay I sacrificed my grade and waited until the night before it was due to begin. I wanted to ensure that all information was completely accurate and truthful and I felt this could only be achieved through experiencing it first hand; therefore this is a true testament to the art of procrastination. I am confident that if I had taken the time and put more effort into this it would be drastically better. But then that wouldn’t have been procrastinating would it? And then what the hell would I have written about?
The main point that McIntosh is pushing forward is that both whites and males have certain advantages. McIntosh says that “white privilege as an invisible package of unearned assets” (605). White privilege are these advantages that white people receive just for being white. They didn’t earn any of the privilege other than being born with the right skin tone. She also recognizes them as being “invisible”. They don’t realize that they have this advantage over everyone else.
Furthermore clarifying, McIntosh suggests that, “I have come to see white privilege as an invisible package of unearned assets which I can count on cashing in on each day, but I was “meant” to remain oblivious.”(pg78) She further supports her belief by listing privileges she considers to be taken for granted by white people, such as that she can be around people of her own race most of the time, turn on the news outlets and read newspapers and be quite sure that reporters are mostly white, and her children’s school materials will be mostly about
I tend to stare at the paper just wondering how I should begin my essay when in reality I’m just going to change it or delete it as I go. Also, I procrastinate on assignments because they intimidate me, especially when I know that my peers will be reading it. By reading this excerpt I feel like it is going to help me on future assignments by pushing me to get started. As she stated multiple times, no one is going to read your first draft so just write whatever is on your mind and go from there. In my argumentative essay I have revised my thesis statement multiple times and deleted more than half of my essay, because I felt that it wasn’t up to
Peggy McIntosh’s “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack,” discusses racism and how it still exists. Light-skinned people still dominate dark-skinned people and as a white American, it is quite an easy belief that anyone can pursue their dream career, and that if they don’t, it’s considered their own fault because they didn’t try hard enough. As a white individual, it is important to realize the advantages and privileges I have just because of my fair skin. Everyone must adjust his or her thinking in order to understand the secreted racism in society. I found it interesting how McIntosh created a harmless language that allowed whites to observe their role in society and how dominant their race is without them feeling uncomfortable or guilty.
One of the points that Peggy McIntosh makes that truly impacts me is when she states, “I think whites are carefully taught not to recognize white privilege, as males are taught not to recognize male privilege.” I must say that I agree with this point, but not in its entirety. In high school I was always taught that throughout history women were treated differently than men and that because of this, men have been able to attain a better position in society, mainly in the workforce, and in this way I was taught about male privilege. I believe that it depends on the type of education one receives that determines whether or not males are taught to recognize male privilege. I also believe that the way men view their male privilege is heavily influenced by race, culture, and one’s values, which McIntosh does not mention. For example: in my family we were taught not to treat the women in our family any different than the men and have always supported them in any care...
I believe that one of the most oppressive systems is “white privilege”, which is defined by Peggy MacIntosh as an invisible set of unearned assets and advantages held by white people. Although I agree with her definition, I disagree with her argument that “white privilege” is imperceptible. MacIntosh says that it is“like an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, maps, passports, codebooks, visas, clothes, tools and blank checks”(83). Yet, I believe that it is not invisible to whites; rather it is their choice to ignore its existence which make “white privilege” invisible. By choosing to ignore it whites can continue to reap the benefits of their privilege without...
Both points serve McIntosh’s objective of making clear that the notion of white privilege is not a myth. Due to the socially constructed and arbitrary nature of ideologies concerning race (a biological, phenotypic/ (physical) expression of human features) the highly immoral and nonsensical practice [whether recognized or not] of white supr...
Peggy McIntosh wrote this article to identify how her white privilege effects her life. Each statement is written as a privilege that Ms. McIntosh does not need to consider or fear as a white woman. From financial credibility to national heritage, this article makes a valid point regarding the way white people can be arrogant and naïve when the same treatment is not being given to their neighbors, coworkers, and peers. There can be two responses when reading this. The first would be a person of color. They will appreciate the attempt at realization of what white people take for granted. The second would be the reality that smacks the white people in the face when they realize how true all 50 statements are. Once this begins to sink in, many will start to broaden their competence realizing the unfair treatment of the people in this world. Moving down the timeline, we can see how the acknowledgement can mend broken relationships. Owning the reality and doing something to change it can give the people of different races the treatment they deserve (McIntosh,
Procrastination is a problem that everyone will eventually end up doing at some point in their lives. There have been many debates over the topic where one side says that procrastination is a natural part to a human while the other argues that it is more of an acquired trait. In a 2016 TED talk given by Tim Urban, titled “Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator,” he claims that everyone is born as a procrastinator due to the fact that everyone tends to procrastinate at some point in their lives, thus it does not just affect those in school, in jobs or a specific group of people. My own view is that humans are to be procrastinators, naturally. In this case, what I mean by naturally is that humans are already born to procrastinate, everyone
However, when it came time to write the essay, I was confronted with my old enemy, writing. Writing and I have a history, I have never enjoyed being in the presence of writing, due to its both mentally and physically taxing requirements. Despite our deeply rooted feud, there are times where I cannot simply dismiss writing, and generally with help such as guided activities, exemplars, and therapy; Writing and I can put aside our differences for a brief moment of time. One example of this is in my argument, In the beginning sentence I feel that I was able to reach what was expected of me by created a strong counter argument and quickly proving it wrong: “Some might argue that if an individual has grown fond of an illusion, then why wake them from that joy? Now, that is a fair point, but as we see in the book, if they wake up, they realize how unhappy they truly are.” As I face more and more of these assignments where I am forced to implement writing, I grow more accustomed to the process. Writing might not be my ideal major, but I understand its importance. While I dread typing a 5 page essays, I know they are coming. Better I struggle know and learn than struggle later and
11:14 p.m.-I slowly ascend from my small wooden chair, and throw another blank sheet of paper on the already covered desk as I make my way to the door. Almost instantaneously I feel wiped of all energy and for a brief second that small bed, which I often complain of, looks homey and very welcoming. I shrug off the tiredness and sluggishly drag my feet behind me those few brief steps. Eyes blurry from weariness, I focus on a now bare area of my door which had previously been covered by a picture of something that was once funny or memorable, but now I can't seem to remember what it was. Either way, it's gone now and with pathetic intentions of finishing my homework I go to close the door. I take a peek down the hall just to assure myself one final time that there is nothing I would rather be doing and when there is nothing worth investigating, aside from a few laughs a couple rooms down, I continue to shut the door.
In the book The Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt-Free Play by Neil Fiore, PH.D the author explains that procrastination is often confused with laziness and frowned upon, although procrastination is actually a coping mechanism we use to deal with the stress and anxiety associated with starting and completing task. In the text the author explains that procrastination is all rooted from inner fears such as: the fear of failure, the fear of being overwhelmed, the fear of being imperfect, the fear of success, and the fear of increased demands. Dr. Fiore gives the tools to identify when you are procrastinating and also to effectively be more productive while minimizing stress.
American psychotherapist, author and lecture Wayne Dyer once said, “Procrastination is one of the most common and deadliest of diseases and its toll on success and happiness is heavy.” When one procrastinates, they put things off to be done last minute, which then leads to stress, unhappiness and failure. As a college student Procrastination hinders my academic caree6r. Students procrastinate because they get distracted, overwhelmed by the task or just lazy, however students can overcome procrastination by developing a schedule, carefully planning academic task and improving time management. My personal experinces, O'Reilly, Sally’s article, and Edwin C. Bliss’s book will validate my panaceas to procrastination.
The definition of procrastination is: the action of delaying or postponing something. Tim Urban, who conducts a speech called Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator for TED in 2016, explains that every human is a procrastinator- some more than others. I agree with everything he says in his speech because I can connect with every piece of evidence he claims, mostly including that there is a “Panic Monster” that pops up in your brain when you are close to a deadline and haven’t gotten anything done, especially when it comes from why I’m always so stressed out about school. There are two different kinds of procrastination: deadline and non-deadline. (Urban, 2016) Everyone that I have ever met is a procrastinator
After spending three hours perusing the internet on articles about procrastination and time management, with two of those hours spent looking at planners, apps, and other various materials that theoretically will help me stop procrastinating, I suppose it is time to actually start writing my paper about procrastinating. I’ve fallen into the learned habit that I work best under pressure; however, the process of procrastination is always laced with acute anxiety and hassle, even if I ultimately finish the assignment on time. I am on a journey to find out why people procrastinate and hopefully find attainable solutions to the problem of procrastination, but first I must go outside and play in the snow.