Word of the week: "zeitgeist"

Source: "The Sad Romance of Cutting and Burning" by David Leibow, 15 Oct. 2010.

Sentence: "There are a whole bunch of self-injurious behaviors that young people pick up from their friends or from the cultural zeitgeist."

Definition: —noun the spirit of the time; general trend of thought or feeling characteristic of a particular period of time.

Leibow's article is about observational learning that youths do nowadays in which they pick up unhealthy and self-damaging behaviors that are glamorized in the media and by musicians, actors, writers, and other celebrities many of them idolize. The term "zeitgeist" in Leibow's opening sentence refers to this current trend of observational learning that is occurring throughout our nation in this day and age, something that was not as prominent and/or of much concern to people in earlier times as it is today.

Passage of the week: 'The Sad Romance of Cutting and Burning'

David Leibow's article, "The Sad Romance of Cutting and Burning" really stuck out to me this week. Although I have read the article before, I came across it again as I was browsing Psychology Today's website and realized how effectively Leibow wrote and structured the article and how informative and interesting the overall topic is.

The first sentence of Leibow's pretty much sums up what the article is about: "There are a whole bunch of self-injurious behaviors that young people pick up from their friends or from the cultural zeitgeist," which include the use of drugs, eating disorders, and self-mutilation to deal with intense emotions, numbness and boredom, or to facilitate socialization.

Leibow then goes on to analyze and explain how dangerous observational learning can be when it comes to destructive behaviors that are glamorized in the media, movies, and books because many young people voluntarily pick up the behaviors, that can wind up ruining their lives.

I really like the language and choice of wording that Leibow uses in his article. For example, he refers to the self-destructive individuals that young people look up to as "too-rich-for-their-own-good celebrities" and "drug-martyred musicians and actors," which I find humorously accurate.

Not only do I enjoy Leibow's breakdown and analysis of a the cultural trend, but I like that he does not neglect to provide suggestions to help people prevent themselves from developing self-damaging behaviors that could potentially grow into dangerous life-changing habits or addictions. 

All in all, Leibow's article is educational, intriguing, timely, helpful, and well written, and that is why it is my passage of the week.