Salivating Dogs

Ivan Petrovich Pavlov won the Nobel Prize in Physiology in 1904. This man, among other scientific findings, is responsible for discovering how the body reacts naturally through innate reflexes; for example, our pupils shrink when light hits our eyes. This is not a learned reaction but unlearned, programed reaction in everyone. These are called UR Unconditioned Responses. Pavlov took this phenomenon and experimented with it. He realized that reflexes can also be a learned habit. For instance, when a dog sees food he salivates. Pavlov rang a bell before feeding his dog a number of times, the dog associating the sound of the bell with food, causing the dog to salivate by just the sound of the bell.

I find this study so interesting. Sure we could assume dogs are dumb enough to be fooled by this mean owners trick. But the reality is we are just as fooled. We ourselves are salivating dogs, ready for dinner that is not prepared for us.

Nathan and I had a conversation this evening about true beauty. Not beauty on a magazine cover or on the television, but true honest to goodness beauty. What is that? Who actually knows what beautiful means? We are taught to believe that Hollywood bodies are beautiful, however, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. From a man's perspective, "From the day I was born I was taught that a tight butt and big boobs were what was attractive." And from a woman's perspective, "Who doesn't love the part in How to Loose a Guy in 10 Days when Matthew McConaughey changes his shirt?" But honestly, I find it horribly demeaning to the entire human race to classify, what is truly the minority, the definition of beauty. The reality is, there is a very small percentage of people in the world that have "beautiful" bodies under their clothes. And lets face it, even the "beautiful" people have had numerous cosmetic surgeries.

Salivating dogs.

Can we just cut the crap and love people? Thats my goal for the day. A judgement free day. I don't know about you, but I'm talking off my hollywood glasses and putting on my heart glasses. Why can't hollywood find beauty in the heart?

You're so vein, I bet you think this blog is about you.