Okay, even I am sick of hearing about Tiger Woods, as I am sure most of us are, but I must admit to being a little happy about the fact that cheating is still looked at as an immoral act for most of us. I am sure most of us have an opinion one way or the other, and I am sure we don't know the whole story, but there are certain social norms that we adhere to, and those "norms" are the very thread of sanity we all can hold on to. 

Being judgmental is not what I am talking about, but I'd like to challenge you to consider having an opinion and knowing why you believe that way. If we go through life not believing in right and wrong and not caring about having some baseline of what that is, we risk losing identity to role models and who we are as an individual and eventually who we are as a society. Apathy can be our biggest downfall.

While I was living in Tokyo, I saw how social norm dictated a society and its effect on their culture. It is one of the greatest places I had ever experienced. It was a amazing place to live and learn. The Japanese have a strong sense of unity and culture. No one talks on their cell phone behind you in line, no one is eating on the subway getting crumbs in your lap, no-one pushes you out of the way to get ahead of you on the escalator. Heck, it is one of the most populated cities in the world as well as one of the safest! How is that possible? Are these "rules" inhibiting the Japanese from freedom- the freedom that we have to do whatever the hell we want whenever we want? I don't think so. Of course we have laws, but I am talking about beyond that. Doing what is right because it is right and not because some politician passed a law saying there will be consequences if we don't. The difference is the very thing we try to capture... respect. 

We are so focused on encouraging everyone to do, say or act any way they please that we have lost our empathy for the elderly woman who needs a seat, or the person next to us in line who is hearing our whole conversation about last night, or how we can order food at Chipotle and sell stock at the same time without even making eye contact with our cashier once.  Yes, I believe we are one of the greatest nations and I am proud to be an American. I am proud to be part of a culture where I am free to write this, free to say what is on my mind, free to eat next to you and free to talk on my phone right behind you in line...  But, I am also saying that if it wasn’t always all about me and was instead more often about you, we would prosper even more.

Thank God for social norms and reactions to the complete disregard of it. In my job, we have a key term we use called desensitization. We have to slowly take steps to acclimate an animal into a new environment so he doesn't notice the change. Kinda like the frog who doesn't jump out of the pot of water that heats up slowly, but he would if the temperature was too hot immediately. I am glad we are jumping out of the pot. I am glad we are not desensitized to immorality... at least not yet.

By Kim Ashdown

Kim Ashdown is a self-taught dreamer who was born in a little beach town called Flagler, on the eastern coast of Florida. Kim took to the beauty around her as soon as she was able to hold her first starfish. Throughout her childhood, Kim developed an appreciation for her majestic surroundings. She would often sit in trees for hours with imaginative stories and homemade forts, or scour the oceans edge to find a mosaic of treasures hidden along the path. Years of artistic expression made it clear that Kim's life would be centered upon her passion for what adventures life has to offer. After high school, Kim attended University of Central Florida which lead her to living out a dream as a Whale and Dolphin trainer. Kim is now a full-time senior trainer at one of the top Marine Mammal Zoological Facilities in the world. She currently lives in Orlando, Florida but nonetheless calls the entire world her home. Through traveling over 18 countries in her lifetime, and 10 of those being within one years time, Japan holds a special place in her heart. She lived in Tokyo for 6 months and by this she really LIVED. Kim taught English on Japan's version of Wallstreet by day and would intentionally get lost on her walk home hoping to find a story to capture on her camera within the remote edges of temples and skyscrapers by night. Kim has just begun to truly live her adventures to the fullest, and is using her cinematographer spirit to compel others to dream. Kim is currently involved in commercial work, shorts, documentaries and video and travel journalism. You can learn more about her craft at mosaicedge,com

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