Chapter 12 was interesting to me because I’ve always been interested in whether or not an introvert or an extrovert would have a better quality of life. This chapter was similar to that because it was discussing the concept of the size of social circles and their quality. What I learned was that it doesn’t matter how good your circle makes you feel–what matters is the size of your circle, but more importantly, whether you help others. I found this notion really interesting because my dad has told me all my life that when I’m feeling sad, I should help someone else out with a problem. I found that piece of advice reflected throughout this chapter and was happy to do so. Maybe I can use this piece of information to recruit interested students to join the community service fraternity on campus, Alpha Phi Omega!
Chapter 13 was a really interesting chapter in which gender differences were explored. If women are more likely to encounter a health problem in their life, how is it that they have a longer life span compared to men? If a man’s wife dies, why is it that he follows her shortly after? The answer was pretty surprising; masculinity and femininity. If someone was more masculine, woman or man, they were less likely to lead a long life. The point of gender roles was interesting; it was less likely for feminine women to smoke because it wasn’t seen as ladylike and the unhealthy ways that men cope with their sadness. Once again, this chapter proved to be interwoven with earlier chapters. This one came down to the social circles, and, seeing as how feminine people or women are more likely to reach out for support, they lived longer. I think the gender role aspect of this chapter was super interesting because it really highlighted how damaging they can be. It’s not just a matter of how others view you (seeing women as incompetent), but also the way in which you live your life. If you’re so consumed with being a man’s man that you won’t wear your seatbelt, that’s a huge problem. Once again, go ladies!!