Enough with insecurities and enough is enough. ~Farida Naz
There is a house in a cage and a cage in a house … and a house in cage and a cage in a house … and a house in cage and a cage in a house … and a girl in the cage and a free soul in a girl. These cages can’t lock up her soul, her thoughts, her dreams…
Freedom is you should be able to share your true feelings with anyone at anytime without being judge.
Freedom is you can have as many friends as you want without any boundaries of religion, region, caste or anything
Freedom is you can get humanity from all human beings for no cost or a reason
Freedom is you can allow your inner self to express itself in front of everyone
Freedom is not being all alone in this huge world
Freedom is not to ruin yourself
Freedom is not to shut up everyone just because it is your life and you can do anything
Freedom is having loving and caring people around you, it is not solitude
ABSTRACT
Disgust is one of the emotions of human beings, and yet the phenomenon of disgust is ambiguous. This artificial experiment focus on the theory that disgust evolves to protect us from diseases (BBC). Weak / moderate evidence along with some peculiar results were found in the favor of the theory: disgust evolved to protect us from diseases.
INTRODUCTION
Disgust is a type of aversive reaction that requires withdrawing from a person or object with strong expressions of dislike (Basic Emotions). It is one of the basic emotions and characteristically connected with things that are regarded as “unclean, inedible, infectious, gory or otherwise offensive” (Basic Emotions). Furthermore, studies and different researches on this topic illuminate some other things which also cause disgust feelings in human. Self-report and behavioral studies found that disgust elicitors include:
These all things are generally consider as disgust approximately by every society in the world (Dirt, Disgust, and Disease).
Further studies on this topic elicit some other interesting things like, disgust is a healthy behavior and when it comes to infectious diseases, disgust help us to stay away from sick person, body fluids and all the other stuff that make us react “yuck” (Roxby). Hence, the present experiment is important to test the theory that disgust evolves to protect us from diseases. The Hypothesis for this experiment is as follow: ‘the more that something resembles a disease threat, the more disgusting it should be’ (BBC Disgust Test).
METHOD
We were 20 students how participated in an online test, which is found on BBC News, named as BBC Disgust Test on the following link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/ humanbody /mind/emotions/disgust.shtml> During the test, 19 different pictures were shown to us and disgust was score between 1(not disgust) to 5 (very disgust) by each student.
RESULT
Table 1- Results for Disgust Rating for General
| S.NO# | Picture | Theory Predicts | Class Average | Class Average – theory Predicts |
| 1 | Football | 1 | 3.04 | 2.04 |
| 2 | Cat | 1 | 2.08 | 1.08 |
| 3 | Teeth and Gums | 5 | 4.92 | -0.08 |
Table 2- Results for Disgust Rating for Chemical Vs Organic
| S. No# | Picture | Theory Predicts | Class Average | Class Average – Theory Predicts |
| 1 | Blue Slime | 2 | 2.48 | 0.48 |
| 2 | Yellow Slime | 4 | 3.52 | -0.48 |
| 3 | Yellow Stain | 5 | 4.08 | -0.92 |
| 4 | Blue Stain | 1 | 2.16 | 0.16 |
| 5 | Green Slime | 5 | 2.8 | -2.2 |
Table 3- Results for Disgust Rating for Creepy Crawlies
| S. No# | Picture | Theory Predicts | Class Average | Class Average- Theory Predicts |
| 1 | Body Louse | 4 | 4.32 | 0.32 |
| 2 | Worm | 3 | 2.8 | -0.2 |
| 3 | Wasp | 1 | 3.04 | 2.04 |
| 4 | Caterpillar | 2 | 4.76 | 2.76 |
DISCUSSION
The results in Table 1, Table 2, and Table 3 illustrate quite variable answers and provide weak/moderate supporting evidence for the hypothesis: the more that something resembles a disease treat, the more disgust it should be. The most important thing we observe in this experiment is that for 19 pictures, we did not get even a single Class Average result same as Theory Predicts. The differences between Class Average and Theory Predicts yields 6 negative answers and 13 positive answers; negative answers implies that student consider these things more disgusting than Theory Predicts and positive answers emphasize that Theory Predicts consider these things more disgusting than Class Average. We observe that participates of this experiment show less tendency towards disgusting things because most of the differences between Class Average and Theory Predicts have positive answers. Studies reveal that disgust is a good behavior which reduces the chance of infectious diseases but all participates are healthy despites of having less inclination towards disgusting things. On the bases of our observation we get our deduction that rating of disgusting is variable and it is also not important that if anyone is consider things as less disgust is more vulnerable to diseases because all the students who participated in this experiment were healthy.
Table 1 shows result for disgust rating of General things where muddy football is consider as disgusting by most of students and we get difference of Class Average and Theory Predict as 2.04. Theory Predicts consider it as less disgusting because most of the time it don’t causes diseases. All participates were girls and most of the time girls not play football so that may be a reason to consider muddy football as more disgust.
Table 2 have list of Chemical Verses Organic materials. The first four results are supporting our hypothesis somehow but we obverse anomalous result for the last one which is -2.2 for Green Slime Fluid. According to studies Green Slime substances make us think of snot. Mucus can have dangerous bacteria and viruses and we produce more of it when we are ill. Most people think the thought of eating this might make them uncomfortable (BBC Disgust Test). Green slime despite of been like as mucus (the most disgusting thing and symptom of many diseases) most of the students consider it as less disgusting. This is totally opposite of our hypothesis and many studies about disgust. Student did not consider it as disgust, may be instead of thinking about mucus they might think about delicious green fruit shake because they did not able to smell it or taste it to know how disgust may be that green thing in a picture.
Further, Table 3 shows results of creepy crawlies, the first two results are supporting our hypothesis but the last two results are deviated from our prediction. We observe results for Wasp and Caterpillar as 2.04 and 2.76 respectively. These are the highest differences we observe so far between Class Average and Theory Predicts. These are opposite from the first case where we discuss about Green Slime. According to studies Wasp may give you a hurtful sting, but it won’t cause any disease. They are in fact fairly beautiful in close-up (BBC Disgust Test). And Caterpillars don’t cause any kind of harm like other human parasites. They just want to be butterflies when they grow up (BBC Disgust Test). Despite of not having any relation with serious diseases and contiguous infections most of the students consider them as more disgust than Theory Predicts. For these anomalous results it will be the batter answer that this experiment was artificial and in rating disgust not only slight but smell and taste are equally important. In this experiment student judge the pictures (not a real insects( while utilizing their sense of slight which is not suffice to get correct answers for this experiment because most of things we reject due to bad smell or due to taste. So to get accurate results it is necessary to perform real experiment.
In conclusion it was found that rating of disgust is varies from person to person and it is not necessary that always the things which are resemble to diseases causing things but they did not cause diseases should consider as the most disgust. Further, to get an accurate result of any experiment it is important to perform real experiment because artificial experiment is not enough to observe things with all senses.
Works Cited
“BBC Disgust Test.” BBC Sceince $ Nature. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Mar. 2o13. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/surveys/disgust/index.shtml>
“Basic Emotions.” N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2013 <http://changingminds.org/explanations/emotions/basic%20emotions.htm>
Curtis, Valerie, and Adam Biran. “Dirt, Disgust, and Disease: Is Hygiene in Our Genes?”
Medicine and Health. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2013
<http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/pbm/summary/v044/44.1curtis.html>
Roxby, Philippa. “Why Feeling Disgust Can Be Good for Us.” BBC Health News. Health
Reporter, BBC News, 31 Oct. 2011. Web. 19 Mar. 2013
A neglected issue that nevertheless has a hazardous impact on human life is smoking. Studies prove that smoking causes many problems especially in developing countries. And its impacts are more dangerous in poor countries like Bangladesh where the smoking rate is “60%” (Solomon). But still it is not too late to overcome this problem; the Bangladeshi government should pass a bill against the production and sale of cigarettes. This will help to eradicate the issue of smoking and problems related to it. The opponents of making cigarettes illegal in Bangladesh claim that it will negatively affect the economy of the country, that cigarettes are not as harmful as other drugs, and that smoking should be a personal freedom. But in reality, cigarettes are a burden for the broken economy of poor countries, and in fact deteriorate smokers lives and as well as the lives of others. Consequently, cigarettes should be made illegal in Bangladesh.
While opponents of banning cigarettes claim that it will affect the economy negatively; in fact they are not aware of the harmful effects of cigarettes on the economy of the poor countries like Bangladesh. According to surveys by Debra Efroymson an Advisor to the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lungs Diseases: expenses of cigarettes are a huge burden for the economy in Bangladesh. “The poorest (household income less than $24 per month) are twice as likely to smoke as the wealthiest (household income more than $118 per month)” (Efroymson, 212). A Chittagong rickshaw driver, Babul, disclosed his daily income and expenditures during an interview on Muhammad Ali Road. Babul’s daily income is 200tk-300tk and his daily expenses on cigarettes are 30tk-40tk. In addition to this, he is also addicted to some other drugs; meanwhile he is supposed to feed six people of his family. It will be difficult for a person to carry out the expenses of six people with such a limited income while spending extra money for cigarettes. According to Efroymson most of the smokers in Bangladesh are spending twice as much of their income on cigarettes than on “clothing, housing, health and on education” (212). The poor smokers would be able to add “500 calories” to the diet of their children with their daily expenditures on cigarettes (212). Moreover, the statistics shows that if the money spent on cigarettes will be spent on the food, it will be possible to nourish “10.5 million” people who are currently having a problem of malnutrition and the lives of “350 children” may be saved who are dying per month due to undernourishment (212). So if this law will be implemented in Bangladesh it may be possible that the economy of country will be stable and in each month hundreds of lives may be saved.
Opponents of banning cigarettes and tobacco products further claim that smoking is useful to decrease tension and it is less harmful than other drugs. However, studies prove that the hazardous chemicals of cigarette smoke cause innumerable diseases in human beings. The Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine shares very important facts about the diseases caused by cigarette smoke. According to them, “3 million” people are losing their lives due to diseases caused by cigarette smoke in developed countries and this rate is higher in developing countries like Bangladesh. Cigarette smoke causes many types of cancers such as “lungs, upper respiratory, bladder, pancreas, esophagus, stomach, and blood cancer” (70). Besides cancer, many other fatal diseases are also caused by the dangerous chemicals found in cigarette smoke such as “respiratory heart diseases, stroke, pneumonia, aortic aneurysm and ischaemic heart diseases.” (71). At the same time, cigarette smoke also causes many non-fatal diseases. Cigarette smoke is also dangerous for pregnant women because “in pregnancy, smoking increases the risk of limb reduction defects, and low birth weight” (Wald, 73). Now it is clear that decreasing stress by smoking is negligible as compared to the fatal diseases like cancer, stroke, and premature birth caused by cigarettes.
A final argument from opponents is that people should have the right to their choice of smoking. But actually they are not only putting their own lives in danger, but also harming other’s lives. Yes, I agree if anyone wants to smoke he or she can, but if we discuss this in the context of Bangladesh “130 million” people are living in “1,301,70 square kilometers” of land, so the population density of Bangladesh is “1,142.29”, which means “1,142.29 people are living in one square kilometer of land” (Bangladesh Demographic Profile 2012). And “60% people reported smoking in Bangladesh” (Solomon). Due to this high number of smoking and the high population density, approximately 100% of the population is suffering from passive smoking. It shows that smoking is affecting the entire nation of Bangladesh. Furthermore, according to Demography of Bangladesh in 2012 the average life expectancy of Bangladeshis was “67 years.” In America, the average life expectancy of American people is “81.6 years” (Harvard Health Survey). Passive smoking affects approximately everyone in Bangladesh and it may be one reason for low life expectancy in Bangladesh. While ignoring the personal freedom of non-smokers opponents are claiming that they should have the right to the choice of smoking. If government is not able to fulfill the rights of everyone, at least it should try to fulfill the rights of as many people as possible.
Consequently, smoking causes economic, health, and many other problems. To surmount this problem, in “14 March, 2005 Bangladeshi government passed tobacco control law to ban smoking in public places” (Weissman). The aim of this law was to discourage smoking and sale of cigarettes and tobacco products in Bangladesh (Weissman). According to this law smoking was prevented only in public places but this law was failed and still people are smoking in public places. So, to overcome the issue of smoking government should ban smoking in Bangladesh, because it is not only today’s problem but it is matter of future.
Works Cited
“Average Life of Americans.” 2012. Web. 27 Jan. 2013 <www.health.harvard.edu/press- releases/average-life-expectancy>
Babul. Personal interview. 28 Jan. 2013.
“Bangladesh Demographics Profile.” 2012. Web. 27 Jan. 2013 <www.indexmundi.com/Bangladesh>
Efroymson. Debra. “Hungry for Tobacco: an analysis of the economy impact of tobacco Consumption on Poor in Bangladesh.” Tobacco Control 10.1 (Sep, 2001): 217-12. Jstor. Web. 27 Jan. 2013 <www.jstor.org/stable>
Solomon, Konstantins T. Research in Labor Economic. Emerald Group, n.d. Google
Books. Amazonbooks. Web. 27 Jan. 2013 <www.books.google.com>
Wald, Nicholas J. “Cigarette Smoking: An Epidemiological Overview.” Br Med Bull 52.1 (1996): 3-11. Oxford Journals. Web. 27 Jan. 2013 <www.British Medical Bulletinbmb.oxfordjournals.org>
Weissman, Robert. “Tobacco Control Law Passed.” United News of Bangladesh. 28 Mar. 2005. Web. 15 Feb. 2013 <http://lists.essential.org/pipermail/intl- tobacco/2005q1/001197.html>
I was fail to get happiness when
I search the answer in a question
The light in a dark
The day in a night
The love in a hate
The truth in a lie
The life in a death
The religion in a fear
The water in a deserted
The stars in a sunny day
The sown in a rain
The flower in a thrown
The heart in a stone
The ice in a fire
The shadow in a net
The air in a space
The God in an idle
And all the time
I was fail to get happiness
Then I follow my conscience
I through an answer for the question
I lit a light in the darkness
I differentiate a day from the night
I embrace a hate with the love
I start living a better life
I believe peace is the religion
I dig a well in the deserted
I appreciate a brightness of the sun
I enjoy every drop of the rain
I use the thrown for safety
I value a hardness of the stone
I get warmth from the fire
I take pleasure in a breeze from the net
I understand a significance of the emptiness
I found God within me
After that…
All the time
I was able to get happiness
When I follow my true conscience instead of norms and customs
I get the happiness
Farida 