Hello from my living room,
It is quiet and peaceful; I returned from a wonderful family Christmas, back in Iowa for the holiday for the first time in a decade. Currently, the music is off; the fireplace is burning softly; and I closed my eyes for a brief minute or two. At the moment, after a morning of schoolwork, I am just enjoying the solitude. The day still has plans, interactions, and things to achieve, but I have learned to relish those times of a simple nihilism. Perhaps there is something positive in Nietzsche after all. Dr. Hansen would be proud of my progress in accepting things I found unreasonable. I remember him saying to my protestations, “Michael, you do not have to agree with it; you need to understand it.” How correct he was.
As someone who struggled mightily with mathematics in public school, I am amazed how numbers fascinate me (Dr. Kahn, there is hope for me yet!). We are controlled by numbers. We are often allowed to move forward or held back by a quantity, a value, or a limit which is numerical. We are attached to numbers be it our age, our SSN, or our standing when digitally compared to those around us. My students and generations of students before them (as was I) are worried beyond comprehension by a GPA, placing an indeterminate pressure upon themselves to achieve the requisite level to be considered successful. How much money do you have? How much do you owe on your home, your car, your credit cards, your student loans? How much money have you saved for retirement or have you set aside for your health needs? I think you get the idea. Indeed, there is no corner of our life we have not quantified in some manner.
Currently, my own life is constantly monitored by a CGM patch telling me where I stand in my battle with Type II diabetes. My regiment of medication to keep me humming away with some degree of health are all determined by milligrams and dosages. Certainly, the ability to quantify is important for order, for structure or boundaries, for anticipating possibilities, but it is possible we lose our humanity in the numbered-word-cloud that explains who we are or what we do? I think that too often that is the case. I appreciate order, structure, and managing expectations perhaps more than most, but I am struggling; I do not wish to accept anything that reduces me to an algorithm, little more than a numeric potential. And yet, that world is here. These are things I ponder when I am awake at 2:00 a.m. . During the fall semester I spent significant time in my 400 level course focusing on AI with my students. It is not a futuristic concern; it is for the most part so far ahead of the average person’s scope of concern that we need to be concerned. Concerned is not the same as frightened, but rather it is thinking about it; learning as much as possible, using it on a regular basis to understand it, and then determining the potentiality of it. The ability to invent, to reimagine, is an essential element of who we are. Things that once stupefied us now seem mundane, but those possibilities became realities because of dreamers, those people both fascinated by numbers, unafraid of the world or of the unimaginable.
Daily in classrooms I see that student who thinks differently, who questions incessantly, and sometimes (often) they have little idea of the possibilities, of the depth of their question. And yet they ask. There are moments I want to respond that their question is not relevant to the issue, but often I refrain. I might ask them to hold on to that question. I might say that we’ll get there. Sometimes the student might be a student with what we societally refer to as “needing an accommodation,” particularly when we label them as “on the spectrum.” However, they are the very individuals who make connections most of us miss. They are the ones who see possibilities most cannot. They defy the numbers. As I am coming to the end of my active full-time teaching, I find myself reflecting more on what I have learned than perhaps what I have taught. I have been influenced by so many students and they have taught me probably more than I could ever hope to impart for them. What we refer to as “the COVID Semester,” the Spring of 2020, when our world turned upside down, I had an incredibly capable student, but also an incredibly trying student. He noted one day in class that I did not like him. He was mistaken, and I did tell him that. And while the conversation was more complex than noted here, I told him in all my time teaching there was only one student I could truly say I did not like (and I believe that student earned an A in my course – in fact in both of them). And 30 years of cumulative time, that person might be one of the most capable, intelligent students I ever taught. The reason to dislike them had to do with integrity. I am hopeful as a parent, which I know they are, they are teaching their something very different than what was exhibited by them.
As I ponder the numbers, the dates, the possibilities, I find the things that matter most are not as easily quantified. Do you have integrity? Are you able to work with other people for the common good? Are you willing to question in a thoughtful and respectful manner for the sake of intellectual curiosity? These are the things that will make both our own life and the lives of those around us meaningful, hopeful, worthy of the incredible possibilities that stand in front of us. As the year completes and a number changes, this song is one of my favorite songs from an incredible artist gone far too soon. As I ponder the coming year, the reconnections with my past in significant ways give me joy and hope. I am so blessed to be more than a number.
I wish you all a blessed new year, and thank you for reading.
Michael
thewritingprofessor55 
Hello Dr. Martin,
I hope you are doing well and had a great trip with your family in Iowa. This blog post resonated deeply with me as you expressed the tranquility of your living room and the reflections on life’s numeric dominance. While reading this post, I found myself in constant agreement with your observations on the influence numbers have on our lives. I think over time they are becoming progressively more and more dominant as well. This post really captivated the image in my mind as how we are all tethered together, to and by numbers, whether it be our age, SSN number, or the relentless pursuit of a high GPA. This is a reality we all get to experience and endure. Your personal encounter with Type II diabetes and constantly having to monitor numbers just furthers shows how much numbers are involved. This is a reminder that our vitality is even subject to numeric scrutiny.
Your brief story about the students who question, who see possibilities beyond the conventional, is very powerful. In society we often label these individuals as needing accommodation, but the way you were able to recognize their unique perspectives as essential connectors is mind opening. This can be used a testimate as to how the richness diversity is in thought, question, and perception, bring to the societal conclusion of things.
Thank you for posting this as it was very impactful for me. This post provided a poignant and reflective journey into the intricacies of our numeric existence. It is a reminder that we need to cherish the immeasurable qualities that are able to truly define us.
Olivia Kadryna
Dr. Martin,
I hope the start to your new year is going well, and what an exciting entrance into your last fully active semester teaching! I can very much relate to the notion that I measure myself, compare myself, and track my life all in numbers. As of December 31st I turned 22 years old, and each New Year I ponder what this new year of age means for myself in terms of change and expectations of my age. Especially this year, turning 22 and now graduating in the Spring, I feel the heavy expectation to conform fully to adulthood, find a job, and start being financially independent.
Being in school for my entire life thus far, I still feel like I fully equate the success I have in the classroom and my GPA to the success I make in my own life outside of school. It is hard to rip yourself away from the numbers that you’ve been taught all your life that hold so much importance.
As just for being a young person, everyday I am thinking about money, how much I have, how much I don’t have, how much I need, how much I want, how much I can get, and so on and so on. It feels that all my decisions in life are dependent upon the number in my bank account; it is hard to avoid those thoughts. The thoughts and managing of money is unavoidable, especially in our capitalistic society.
It is hard sometimes to focus on the unquantifiable. The characteristic traits that supposedly hold immense value in life and the workplace, yet I never hear as much about those values than I do about the others I mentioned previously. Every family get together, the most common questions I am asked is how classes are going, how my plans for job applications are looking, and most recently, how it feels to be 22 and graduating soon. I do think however that character traits are deeply more impactful to others and more important in the long run and in any type of relationship you have with another person.
Dr. Martin,
As someone who also always struggled with math, I find your connections between numbers and life fascinating. I also find myself obsessed with the different numbers in my life like money, my GPA, and funny enough, my age. I appreciate your peaceful start to the post, as it made me feel at peace for a moment. I find myself fascinated by the philosophy of Absurdism which has its connections to Nihlism. Recognizing that life is inherently “absurd” and still embracing all that it entails is something that I find freeing to think about.
I found your section about your experiences with students fascinating to read about. As I have said before, it is not often that students are able to see and understand the thoughts of their professors so clearly and honestly. You show your thoughtfulness and peace of mind through they way you articulate your thoughts. I find your feelings towards the one student you did not like incredibly mature, especially when reflecting on how they might be passing down those characteristics.
I agree that the things that matter the most for our inner happiness and filfilment are oftentimes not easily quantifiable. It is easy to fall into the trap of becoming just a number in todays society, and it can be a very isolating thought. By focusing on the deeper and more complex aspects of how we define ourselves and our success, I think life takes on a new meaning.
Thank you for your post, as always. I found myself reflecting upon my own life, especially at the end. I was not aware of the thoughts I had about that topic until it was first brought up to me.
I hope you have a new year filled with joyful memories!
Lily Kachel
Dr Martin,
I hope you’re doing well as the new year is now upon us and that your trip to Iowa was a relaxing time with your family. As I was reading through your blog, I found myself seeing how numbers have had an importance in my life and how even math was involved when I believed that math had no significance to me. Throughout my life I have always hated math and thought, “Why do I need to learn this?” or “I’m never gonna use this in my life, this is pointless.” Reading your blog, inspired me to think and to recap through the last week that I have used math in my daily life.
Throughout my week, I have used numbers and math at my work to count money for a customer and have used numbers to calculate the timing for a pickup order. Thanks to your blog I’ve been able to recap my week and my life of how important numbers and math are. They’re used to help tell time and to help calculate money at something so simple as in a workplace.
Maggie Schultz
Dr. Martin,
I hope that your new year is going well so far! As I was reading your blog, I found myself thinking about how number dependent our world truly is. The examples that you listed above can resonate with any person because numbers and math affect every individual no matter their age. I have been the type of person that feels like their GPA depends on how the rest of your life goes. I always thought in high school if I didn’t get a good GPA I wouldn’t be able to get into a great college. Thankfully, I worked hard during my four years at high school and was able to continue my education. However, this education has been costly and it will continue to be costly. This is another example as to how numbers and math are going to affect someone’s life. Students loans will always be a part of your life until you finally pay them off. This could take years and years, depending on what kind of job you get after graduation. Even after graduation, numbers will continue to be in your life.
When I was going through middle and high school, math was my favorite subject because it came easy to me. I always found it interesting because you could do a problem so many different ways and you would be able to get the right answer. Once I got to college, math was still my favorite subject until I had to take Math for the Health Sciences. The class wasn’t difficult, but the professor made me dislike the class because of the way he taught it. The certain things he taught in the class wouldn’t make any sense because of the way he explained it, and he would show us how to do certain things and then at the end he would say that we didn’t need to know it. That would infuriate myself and fellow classmates because he would go on about it for 10-20 minutes and then decide that we didn’t need to know it. After taking that class, math was still interesting to me but the professor didn’t allow me to love it anymore.
Thank you for resonating how numbers define your life, and thank you for listen to my reasoning as to how they define mine.
Abigale Motto
Hi Abigale Motto,
I agree with you that reading this, got me thinking about how math is dependent on our world. Growing up I was never stressed about my GPA but I was more worried about the test scores I received. I was never the best test taker but I have other strengths that make me become a good student. I also loved math as well but never wanted to pursue anything once I got into college because I was scared that it was going to be harder than taking high school math. I am sorry that you did not have a great professor but I am happy that you still love math. Even though I am not taking math classes it is still part of my everyday life. For example, when I get my paycheck I have to make sure that all my hours are matching to my pay stub. We also do use addition when discussing our ages such as calculating when you are going to turn 21 years old by counting down to the minutes and seconds. I think it is funny how we all can connect on these things because math is dependent on our world.
Thank you, I enjoyed reading your comment!
Vanessa Valenti
Hi Abigale Motto,
I agree with you that reading this, got me thinking about how math is dependent on our world. Growing up I was never stressed about my GPA but I was more worried about the test scores I received. I was never the best test taker but I have other strengths that make me become a good student. I also loved math as well but never wanted to pursue anything once I got into college because I was scared that it was going to be harder than taking high school math. I am sorry that you did not have a great professor but I am happy that you still love math. Even though I am not taking math classes it is still part of my everyday life. For example, when I get my paycheck I have to make sure that all my hours are matching to my pay stub. We also do use addition when discussing our ages such as calculating when you are going to turn 21 years old by counting down to the minutes and seconds. I think it is funny how we all can connect on these things because math is dependent on our world.
Thank you, I enjoyed reading your comment!
Vanessa Valenti
Dr. Martin,
I hope that your new year is going well so far! As I was reading your blog, I found myself thinking about how number dependent our world truly is. The examples that you listed above can resonate with any person because numbers and math affect every individual no matter their age. I have been the type of person that feels like their GPA depends on how the rest of your life goes. I always thought in high school if I didn’t get a good GPA I wouldn’t be able to get into a great college. Thankfully, I worked hard during my four years at high school and was able to continue my education. However, this education has been costly and it will continue to be costly. This is another example as to how numbers and math are going to affect someone’s life. Students loans will always be a part of your life until you finally pay them off. This could take years and years, depending on what kind of job you get after graduation. Even after graduation, numbers will continue to be in your life.
When I was going through middle and high school, math was my favorite subject because it came easy to me. I always found it interesting because you could do a problem so many different ways and you would be able to get the right answer. Once I got to college, math was still my favorite subject until I had to take Math for the Health Sciences. The class wasn’t difficult, but the professor made me dislike the class because of the way he taught it. The certain things he taught in the class wouldn’t make any sense because of the way he explained it, and he would show us how to do certain things and then at the end he would say that we didn’t need to know it. That would infuriate myself and fellow classmates because he would go on about it for 10-20 minutes and then decide that we didn’t need to know it. After taking that class, math was still interesting to me but the professor didn’t allow me to love it anymore.
Thank you for resonating how numbers define your life, and thank you for listen to my reasoning as to how they define mine.
Abigale Motto
Hi Abigale Motto,
I agree with you that reading this, got me thinking about how math is dependent on our world. Growing up I was never stressed about my GPA but I was more worried about the test scores I received. I was never the best test taker but I have other strengths that make me a good student. I also loved math as well but never wanted to pursue anything once I got into college because I was scared that it was going to be harder than taking high school math. I am sorry that you did not have a great professor but I am happy that you still love math. Even though I am not taking math classes it is still part of my everyday life. For example, when I get my paycheck I have to make sure that all my hours are matching to my pay stub. We also do use addition when discussing our ages such as calculating when you are going to turn 21 years old by counting down to the minutes and seconds. I think it is funny how we all can connect on these things because math is dependent on our world.
Thank you for your great comment, and I enjoyed reading it.
Vanessa Valenti
Dr. Martin,
I have always had the fear of aging and becoming someone who cannot care for themselves anymore. I developed this fear after my three years in a CNA program taking care of the elderly. I have seen the ways aging affects the body and most importantly, the mind. On the other hand, there were others in this nursing home who could conquer the world. My nursing instructor always said, “age is just a number.” She happened to be in her 60s, but all her students swore she was only in her 40s. I understand the feeling of being trapped by numbers, I am a college student after all. When I see my partner making Deans list, I question myself. Am I not good enough to be at this University? Why can’t I do better? However, I know I am doing my best every day and my family is proud of me. I am also proud of myself, but it is hard to be proud when numbers are telling you otherwise.
I have always struggled with my mental health, and coming to college stressed me out more than you could imagine. I would question why I had to study for my college courses but flew through high school with honors. Others had to remind me; this is serious now! College prepares you for the world while high school prepares you to move onto the next grade. Numbers are stamped onto everything we do in this life, and it all gets so overwhelming. Making sure my family has enough money to pay bills, making sure my siblings get good grades in their classes while I make sure I get even better ones; What does this say about our world? Do numbers make it easier for people to live, or do they make it harder? In my opinion, numbers put constraints on people. Numbers keep people small and stop them from reaching their full potential.
Kelia Bunker
Dr. Martin,
I’m glad your trip to see family for Christmas went well. I can appreciate the feeling of seeing family after a long while. Most of my family lives in Virginia and North Carolina and I only get to see them once or twice a year. It’s almost relieving to finally hug my grandmother after not seeing her for so long. This feeling is only amplified by the holidays when everyone is cheerful and excited.
As an Engineering Physics Major, I deal with numbers every day. Or at least I am learning about numbers and their applications every day. I agree that we can all just feel like another number on some piece of paper in a government building sometimes. This is an almost oppressive feeling, but I’ve found that there is much beauty in numbers if you take the time to think about it. They exist everywhere in every instance of our life. From going to the store and counting how many bananas are in a bundle to looking up at the stars and being able to quantify our distance from them based on the amount of light they give off. Math exists everywhere and, just as words do, they can be used to describe and explain things. To describe the path with which the sun travels across our sky, to calculate the appropriate dosage of medicine someone needs to take, or even to calculate the distance you need to travel to see relatives you miss dearly on the holidays.
While it might be intimidating to be reduced to a number, I believe that they are an essential part of life. On the other hand, they are not all we can use to describe our world. If I was spoken to every day in equations and algorithms, I would lose my mind. Coupled with the use of words though, they can paint a truly beautiful picture. Without words, all the complicated equations I learn would be meaningless. Variables, fractions, and exponents would have no value to me if I did not know what they represented. Separately, they are both important, but together, I believe numbers and words are necessary.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, it gave me a truly inciteful look into what others might think of numbers. Hopefully, I could provide some incite into how numbers are seen through my eyes.
Mason Ochs
Dr. Martin,
As a society it is easy to view ourselves and those around us as numbers in a system, a very small piece of the organized whole. It is rare to find companies, particularly large institutions, that treat their consumers as anything other than a number. A number on a complaint, a number on a claim, a sale, and so on, being a student often feels similar. It takes a specific kind of person to change that outlook and impact a persons life that may have just been seen as a number otherwise.
It is humbling to imagine the size of our universe so it makes sense as to why a person may feel small if reduced to a number. In the span of a lifetime a person is bound to feel like a number at some point, but what I try to remember is that everyone else feels that way sometimes too. If a person can look into themselves and find all of the things that make them unique, that feeling begins to fade.
If math and science taught me anything growing up, it was that numbers are everywhere. Everything can be reduced to numbers, and although that seems boring, it can be a very powerful thing. For example if someone said to me, “students are protesting outside the student service center” that is one thing, but if it can be quantified you can imagine just how powerful that movement is. Although I do not think numbers alone are powerful, when combined with context they give an undeniable layer of proof to back something up.
I knew for a really long time that many hearing parents that give birth to dDeaf* children do not learn sign language. When I learned that 90-95% of parents that have dDeaf* children never learn sign language, it gave me a sinking feeling and even brought me to tears. Numbers have power, and without them we would never realize just how powerful they are.
Kyla Korpics
Dr. Martin,
I agree that our lives are controlled by numbers. I am always worried about if I am going to be late or how my grades are looking in my classes or how my bank account is looking. We are constantly worried about things relating to numbers that we get so wrapped up in it. There are even sometimes were we feel like a number. You can stop feeling like a human when you get lumped in as a statistic. There are many times where I have feel like a number in the grand scheme of things. It can be hard to break away from that. I am one of three children but I am my own person. I graduated high school with 140 students but I am the only one to go to Bloomsburg University as an ASL/English Interpreting major. I always try to take a step back and remember I am not a statistic. I have qualities that make me special. Thank you for sharing this story.
Amelia Lamont
Dr. Martin,
I am in full agreement with you about how numbers control our lives, for example, I have always been the one person who is freaking out about a test grade. Not to the fault of my parents it was an internal battle that I have gotten better with over the years I would say. This pressure would make me feel like my only worth was if I did well on a test like I was just a number no matter how untrue that is. I also think that when you mentioned being able to see when students are thinking differently, this makes us more than a number. I mean by this that when you are seen by someone even if it’s for just a day or a semester it makes the biggest difference because you feel seen. Thinking differently from others is an amazing skill that I sometimes have and other times wish I didn’t. It makes me different and I like that fact but only for a little while, as a society, we want to fit in and just be “normal” but I’m beginning to learn that is always the way to go. Thank you for sharing your stories its always so interesting to read and find out more about you.
Dr. Martin,
What drew me to this post was the picture up above. It was one of the few you have shown me earlier today. They were all so beautifully decorated. So, after reading this post it got me thinking about the numbers. It does control our lives. We have always been told we need to get great scores on our tests or quizzes. We watch our GPA, PSAT, SAT, and ACT. We make sure we are driving the speed limit. We are paying for items, getting taxed, and paying for college and school. We pay for extracurriculars. We even have to watch our credit scores. All of these are shocking. We are divided up by class by these numbers. Heck, we send men and women into space with numbers. I had never really thought of how important numbers were before reading this post. It has me stuck. How has the world gotten so complex? maybe it was already this complex, but we have finally evolved to make these complex theories and systems make sense. I would love to hear more about what your thinking behind this is.
Lauren Hughes
Dr. Martin,
Your reflection on the intersection of personal experience, academia, and the pervasive influence of numerical quantification resonates deeply with both the challenges and potential of our modern world. The tranquility you describe post-Christmas is a poignant reminder of the importance of balance in our lives, something often disrupted by the relentless numerical assessments that seem to govern us.
Your journey, from struggling with mathematics to finding a fascination in numbers, underscores a critical transformation that many of us in the academic and scientific communities experience. It’s a journey from seeing numbers as barriers to understanding them as tools that define, guide, and sometimes constrain our existence. The shift in perspective, encouraged by mentors like Dr. Hansen, is a testament to the power of education not just to inform but to transform our way of thinking.
The omnipresence of numbers in our lives—from GPAs to financial metrics—highlights a fundamental truth about our society: we quantify to bring order. However, your insight into the potential dehumanization within this numerical world is crucial. As we strive for structure and predictability, we must remain vigilant against reducing individuals to mere data points. This balance is especially pertinent in the realm of AI, a subject that rightly occupies your academic focus.
AI, as you correctly note, is not a distant concern but a present reality, advancing at a pace that demands our attention and understanding. Your approach to addressing AI with students—encouraging critical engagement and imaginative thinking—aligns perfectly with the needs of our time. It is not enough to understand AI’s capabilities; we must also anticipate its implications and potential to reshape human identity and societal norms.
The anecdote about your students, particularly those with unique perspectives, reinforces the value of diversity in thought and the unforeseen connections such minds can make. This aligns with the broader educational goal of fostering an environment where questioning is not just allowed but encouraged, leading to a richer intellectual landscape.
Reflecting on the lessons learned from students is a powerful testament to the reciprocal nature of teaching. Your experience during the “COVID Semester” and the incident with a particularly challenging student speaks volumes about the complexity of human interactions and the importance of integrity and mutual respect.
Your closing thoughts on integrity, collaboration, and intellectual curiosity encapsulate the essence of what should drive us, both as individuals and as a collective. These qualities, while difficult to quantify, are foundational to meaningful progress and a hopeful future.
With the transition that drove us into the new year, your reflection of this served as a profound reminder that while numbers shape much of our world, the most significant aspects of our humanity—integrity, curiosity, and the ability to work together—transcend numerical limitations. Your perspective is a call to balance the quantitative with the qualitative, ensuring that in our pursuit of progress, we do not lose sight of what makes us inherently human.
Thank you for sharing your insightful and thought-provoking reflections.
Dr. Martin,
I am very intrigued by your view on numbers and I agree with your stance. I think the obsession with numerical values is a way for people to justify doing the bare minimum. I did enough to get a 90%, but nothing more. If I don’t take the final, I will still get an 85% in the class so why bother? My work project is due by June 14, so why would I work hard to get it done before then? My anniversary is on April 6, why would I do something special on any other day of the year? Numbers are a scapegoat.
I, like you, need order and consistency. I grew up in a house where expectations changed each day and I never knew how to compose myself. As an adult, I seek consistency and stability. However, I do not use my need for stability as an “out” to avoid working to my full potential.
I think numbers are also used to create uniformity. If you provide specific standards, there will be no odd kids out. There will be no one feeling behind. The downside to this is that there will also be no one excelling. If you create uniformity, diversity is lost. People are different. Teaching them to all learn the same information taught in the same style will teach them to be who they are told to be, not who they are.
One of my greatest frustrations is the lack of critical thinking and the need for constant reassurance in today’s society. I taught my first semester of Crime Scene Management at Harrisburg University in the Fall 2023 semester. The students were smart, but would ask the dumbest questions. There are stupid questions and I will debate that with anyone. The thing that made the questions stupid is that they knew the answer, they just wanted me to confirm it for them. Confidence is an absolute necessity, especially when working in a field like forensics. I told them as much. Instead of answering their questions, I would respond with a question asking them for their opinion on what they’re asking me. They always talked themselves into seeing the lack of necessity for their question. I then took it a step further and started questioning them when they were doing the correct thing. Are you sure you want to package that evidence like that? Why are you taking your photographs with that exposure?
The concept of questioning someone who is doing something correctly may seem harsh, but it was an almost instantaneous switch from insecurity to confidence. I made them realize that explaining what they’re doing and why doesn’t mean they’re wrong. It made them think through why they do things. It took away the memorize and execute step.
Numbers are great and they have a place. People and individuality are better. I think there needs to be a method of tracking progress and rating how well someone is doing in school. Tracking ages and dates is important, too. Knowing that these numbers are not the end all be all concept is most important.
Thank you, as always, for sharing your thoughts. I look forward to reading and responding to more of your posts.
Shannon Drexel
Good evening from my boyfriend’s house. It has certainly been a long day since I started working on the hospital floor today. It was kinda boring because I was mostly observing and helping out when I could. I have to say though, I am quite excited to start working on my own because it will be more experience under my belt for when I graduate as a nurse and go into the Army.
As always, it was a joy to read your blog post. The way you think, interpret, and see the world never ceases to amaze me. Now that you mention it, it is crazy to think that we live in a world controlled by numbers. Every person is just another number. I know going into the Army I am just another number, but in the civilian world I am also just another number. To the university, I am another student (a number) that pays an amount of money (another number) to attend the university. When I enter the Army, I will just be another number in their ranks. Even though I will be a nurse, which is something they desperately need, I am still just another number and am easily replaceable.
It is quite sad that nowadays we are all just another number. To our employers, we have an employee number to identify us. To colleges, we have a student ID to identify us. To the country, we have a social security number to identify us. We are run by a world of numbers, which I have never thought about until now. Maybe one day we will move out of this numerical identification system, but we probably will not because it is effective and convenient.