Discovery Essays

Everything is uncertain, including this sentence.

That is my basic philosophy of everything, stemming from the realization that you cannot actually prove anything.

The scientific method is good and all, but only as long as you believe your evidence is not fake. Most everything we think we know will become obsolete if the world happened to be a simulation. Whether the simulation is created by magical, technological, or divine means, the prospect of a simulation makes everything we sense and discover a possible mirage. The fact that your pencil is red? Fake. The fact that the constant for Earth’s gravity is 9.81? Fake. Your mom? Fake. Your lover? Fake. The existence of protons? Fake. Reality could be similar to the simulation, or it could be something entirely different.

As for everything else? Things like your own thoughts and emotions which you know are there? They could also be nonexistent, given the prospect of an omnipotent being.

At this point, let me provide a simple idea for omnipotence. In the sentence “I can ______,” an omnipotent being can put anything in the underlined portion and have it be true. Given that definition, why don’t we test the extent of omnipotence.

I can create a rock too heavy for me to lift.

I can create a rock too heavy for me to lift and still lift it.

I can create a rock too heavy for me to lift and still count as omnipotent.

I can create a round square.

I can be omnipotent despite there being other omnipotent beings.

I can be completely, utterly powerless and still be omnipotent.

I can make all logic and common sense break, bend, and turn into lumps of bread.

I can make the statement “I think, therefore I am” be false. Take that, Descartes.

Now, an if-then statement: if there is an omnipotent being, then anything is possible. Any statement, any truth, anything that is obvious and true can be turned false by the whims of omnipotence. And it is impossible to disprove the existence of an omnipotent being.

I can exist as an omnipotent being while making it so that the existence of omnipotent beings is impossible.

I can exist as an omnipotent being despite a complete and logically sound proof that such beings cannot and do not exist.

Of course, I cannot really say that anything is impossible. I cannot really say anything at all. An omnipotent being might make it false.

Raised in a world of constant digital media, my feed was flooded with arguments from sensationalist media outlets. It was always the same loop: the left vilified the right, “owning” them in debates, while the right made outrageous statements that unwittingly reinforced the left’s narrative. This continuous cycle of divisive content left me feeling, initially, that Republicans were not people or, at the very least, undeserving of respect.

The algorithm trapped me within an echo chamber of my own creation; a virtual bubble that reinforced my existing beliefs and severely limited my exposure to other perspectives. Admittedly, I had never made any efforts to break free from this bubble, instead accepting it as an inherent part of internet-consumption. To make matters worse, my circles largely shared my views, leaving me with few opportunities to engage with differing opinions. Soon enough, I became a digital “social justice warrior,” shutting down conservatives in comment sections and sharing any and all politically correct infographics I found on Instagram. 

The first time my views were challenged was when I unexpectedly found myself interning for the re-election campaign of my local California representative Young Kim (Republican). What at first felt like a forced school mandate for volunteer hours gradually transformed into an authentic learning experience. 

For the first few weeks, I would giggle with my high school friends at the many conservative posters adorning the office walls, all the while begrudgingly doing what was expected of me. But after a few weeks of daily internship, I began forging real connections with Republicans on a personal level, engaging in genuine conversations. They were not the caricatures of reactionist political adversaries on social media. They were real people, each one possessing much more nuance and openness to discussion than I had expected. 

Expecting insensitive “Karens,” I was surprised to meet people like Madison, the campaign field organizer, who worked so hard she barely got 12 hours off for herself a week. Or Braxton, the director of operations, who liked rap music and jamming to “Big Bootie Mixes.”  And then there was Young Kim herself, who talked to me about her life beyond politics. She shared her experience as an immigrant and revealed intimate details about her family, including her college-age son. Young Kim’s nuanced perspective on President Trump, arguing for censure but not impeachment, exemplified the willingness to critique without resorting to impulsive condemnation.

Through these personal interactions, I began to break down the walls of my preconceived notions and stereotypes. Republicans ceased to be faceless adversaries and transformed into genuine friends. I discovered the true power of human connection, demonstrating that genuine understanding is forged through authentic engagement.

This realization lies at the core of my desire to become a member of an intellectual community of differences. I want to immerse myself in an environment that cherishes diversity of all kinds, including political viewpoints, and welcomes meaningful dialogue that challenges caricatures and promotes personal growth. 

Falling in love is something that is praised in the world, especially in TV shows, books, movies, and even songs. It is said that finding someone you love can bring you happiness, something nothing else can get you. However, that is not always the case. Falling in love may seem harmless, but it can actually be very alarming at times. It can actually lead to many terrible things. I may be saying substandard qualities about love, but it is not all terrible. Just because it may not be entirely terrible, that doesn’t mean it isn’t unpleasant. Falling in love is dangerous because it can lead to an obsession, irrational willingness to do anything for attention, or depression or heartbreak.

There are three main reasons why falling in love is dangerous. The first reason is that it

can lead to an over-obsession. An obsession is a strong desire to either possess that person or to protect that person. Many times when obsession is involved so is stalking. Imagine living under the constant fear of being watched every single time you go outside, all because of a singularfeeling that is called love. Rarely, there is always one person who takes things overboard. Of course, with every problem there is always a solution, and this problem is actually very avoidable. Many people just choose not to avoid it. Sometimes it happens without the other person knowing. It’s not always easy to avoid these things, that’s why you have to be careful. Typically an obsession starts with negligence from someone’s parents at a young age. Then the person who was neglected finds someone they idolize, and soon that idolization becomes an obsession. Normally a person gets idolized due to the other person having low self esteem, and they start to grow a desire to be just like the idolized person. Just this one reason may seem

dangerous, but you haven’t heard of the other reasons.

Another symptom of falling down the dangerous path of love, is when someone becomes an attention-seeker.. Attention-seeking is when a person is willing to do anything to get the other person to notice them, even if it means going to such an extent as to do something illegal. Such as, this could mean someone going so far as to take someone else’s life thinking of them as competition. Although there is a very low chance of that happening, it is entirely possible. Just like how over-obsessions start, attention seeking also starts with trauma having to do with being ignored or not being given the love that is needed or any attention at all. Though child-neglect causes many to become attention seekers, it can also have something to do with having low self esteem. Because of their low self esteem, one person could find someone who seems confident, like the most perfect human being. After they find this person, they start wanting to be friends with them and get to know them a lot better. If they do not get that person’s attention, they start wanting it very badly, and that’s how attention-seeking starts. Attention-seeking and obsession sound similar, due to their qualities for both having needful wants for something, but they are actually drastically different. Obsession and attention-seeking may seem bad as it is, but falling in love comes with one last terrible risk, this one relating to the heart.

The final reason is that it can lead to depression or heartbreak. They may just seem like words, but they are so much more than that. It actually is that heartbreak or rejection can lead to depression. Typically, a person gets their heart broken by getting rejected or having to break up with their significant other. Normally, heartbreak leads to suicidal ideation or substance abuse. Both are very toxic, mentally and physically unhealthy. The symptoms of depression have a negative effect on your behavior and attitude. When your significant other first leaves you, you start to be in denial that it is not real, and that person will always be there with you. When you realize they aren’t, you start to feel a growing pain inside your heart. Later, that pain grows into a strong desire to get the other person back, but you know that you can not. This can lead to a very unfortunate outcome called depression.

Falling in love is dangerous because it can lead to an obsession, a person’s willingness to do anything for the other’s attention, or it could lead to depression or heartbreak. I may be listing many substandard qualities about love, but it is not all terrible. Just because it may not be entirely terrible, that doesn’t mean it isn’t unpleasant. Sometimes, love can save people when they need it the most. Sometimes someone may be going through something difficult and may need someone there to comfort them to get them through the tough time. It all depends on the situation, love can be a life saver or a life destroyer. It can open some people’s eyes in a way nothing else can. Love is really something else.