It's said that tempation is the root of all evil. Urges and temptations present themselves everyday. They present themselves in different ways to different people whether it is through laziness, addiction, selfishness, etc. Though they may lead to mistakes and regrets, it's natural to want to succumb to them because, at the moment, they make us feel good. 
It is human nature to give into weakness at times, because lets face it. We are human. We are going to make mistakes. However, it is important we learn from our mistakes.
Even though we do not enjoy restraining ourselves because its not what we want at that point in time, we can take satisfaction that we staying true to what we REALLY want. If we are able to stay true to our long term goals, we can realize our potential and better the world around us.

Andonis Yiantsos

Comment:
I totally agree with you. I once took a student success class and one of the imporatnt things i learned from it was that setting long term goals for yourself was a key to becoming successful because even when your're faced with temptations that surrounds us everyday we can have our long term goals engraved in our minds to remind us which direction we're heading and therefore help us make good choices. Self-discipline sometimes doesn't come easy especially for me when it comes to procrastinating on everything, i know if i continue on that road it might interfere with my long term goals so i use my goals to give me that jolt of awakening when feeling my laziest. :-)
Maureen Muturi

In today's society, there is an enormous amount of pressure put on people to be in relationships. Co-dependency, in my opinion is sort of glorified and made to look natural and romantic. Relationships are a completely natural human desire. However, some people develop an addiction and need for love and relationships, to the point where it becomes destructive and life consuming, like many other addictions lead to. 

When an individual becomes obsessed with another person, it tends to completely consume his/her mind and literally take over that persons life. The person who is love obsessed neglects his/her own needs to the point where it may cause serious harm. There are two forms of love addiction. Type one, is when the love is one sided. This consists of an imaginary relationship the addicted person has created themselves, even though the other person is not aware of the infatuation. Type one love addiction is often classified as "attachment hunger", and the people who often get themselves into this situation are the ones who enjoy "the chase". These obsessive personality types often feel incomplete, extreme loneliness, and anxious if they do not have this relationship with whom they are infatuated with. 

Type two is when two people are addicted to each other. These relationships lead to the lovers having seldom to no interaction with people other than themselves. The basis of these relationships is usually a need for security. The following are some effects of an obsessive, unhealthy relationships:

• The onset of "tunnel vision," meaning that the relationally dependent person cannot stop thinking about a love interest and required his or her constant attention. 

• Neurotic, compulsive behaviors, including rapid telephone calls to love interest's place of residence or workplace. 

• Unfounded accusations of "cheating" due to extreme anxiety. 
• An overwhelming fear of abandonment, including baseless thoughts of a partner walking out on the relationship in favor of another person. 
• The need to constantly be in contact with a love interest via phone, email or in person.
• Strong feelings of mistrust begin to emerge, causing depression, resentment and relational tension.
• The continuation and escalation of obsessive, controlling behaviors. 

The person who tends to have bad self-image is the most prone to end up in an unhealthy, obsessive love. Addictive relationships lead to self-destruction, depression and withdrawal symptoms.

-Alix Cullum

Comment:

Wow interesting post it's crazy how love addiction never as of an  issuse as much of  as the other ones like alchohol, drug, sex, and eating disorders. It would be interesting to see someone go on t.v. for example dr. drew or dr phil about been addicted to love. I think it's common that everyone know's atleast one person who is terrified of been alone and always in a relationship regardless of how self destructive it is. I think well want to be loved and sometimes we easily accept it no matter what form it comes in whether its an abusive boyfriend or even how the pimps coax the girls into sex trafficking.
Maureen Muturi

We can observe just how much our society has become a consumers’ society even within the last fifty years by considering that during World War II the Western world was called upon to demonstrate restraint and reduce their spending habits, while following September 11 we were called upon to accelerate our consumption. 

Hannah Arendt provides a theoretical framework to explain how the public realm has been eroded by the emergence of the private forces of production and consumption and the ensuing eclipse of politics... 

Action expresses our highest potentialities and possibilities, through which we are known by others, disclose our uniqueness, and participate in something larger than ourselves. A life without action “is literally dead to the world; it has ceased to be a human life because it is no longer lived among men [sic].”

For Baudrillard, as a result of this separation, “we disappear behind our images.”[39] The dominance of the code, the proliferation of signs, and the violence of the image entails the eclipse—even death—of the real. “The image…is violent because what happens there is the murder of the Real, the vanishing point of reality.”...“men of wealth are no longer surrounded by other human beings, as they have been in the past, but by objects. Their daily exchange is no longer with their fellows, but rather, statistically as a function of some ascending curve, with the acquisition and manipulation of goods and messages.”

The National Eating Disorders Association works to raise awareness and help people find treatment for eating disorders. Eating disorders are deadly illnesses that affect more that 30 million people in the united states alone. They are among the most deadly mental illnesses and the mortality rate for 15-25 year old women with eating disorders is 

Dr. Hart recruited addicts by advertising in The Village Voice, offering them a chance to make $950 while smoking crack made from pharmaceutical-grade cocaine. Most of the respondents, like the addicts he knew growing up in Miami, were black men from low-income neighborhoods. To participate, they had to live in a hospital ward for several weeks during the experiment.

At the start of each day, as researchers watched behind a one-way mirror, a nurse would place a certain amount of crack in a pipe — the dose varied daily — and light it. While smoking, the participant was blindfolded so he couldn’t see the size of that day’s dose.

Then, after that sample of crack to start the day, each participant would be offered more opportunities during the day to smoke the same dose of crack. But each time the offer was made, the participants could also opt for a different reward that they could collect when they eventually left the hospital. Sometimes the reward was $5 in cash, and sometimes it was a $5 voucher for merchandise at a store.

When the dose of crack was fairly high, the subject would typically choose to keep smoking crack during the day. But when the dose was smaller, he was more likely to pass it up for the $5 in cash or voucher.

“They didn’t fit the caricature of the drug addict who can’t stop once he gets a taste,” Dr. Hart said. “When they were given an alternative to crack, they made rational economic decisions.”

Are you addicted to Facebook? While facebook can be useful, for many it is an addiction that makes it hard for them to function without. Facebook can give people anxiety and lead to relationships being tested because of things said or posted on facebook. Studies have shown that facebook can make people feel worse about themselves because of things posted by others. “Facebook is an addiction when one finds constant pleasure from the experience.” (FoxNews) Checking facebook before you get out of bed, or checking it repeatedly on a mobile device can be signs of addiction. While Facebook is an addiction for many, it can also be useful in organizing social gatherings and connecting with old friends. I've attached an article on facebook addiction and also a link to a quiz that will tell you just how addicted to facebook you really are. 
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/01/24/addicted-to-facebook-study-shows-users-are-lonelier/
http://theoatmeal.com/quiz/facebook_addict

-Naomi Watson

        The United States has developed a cultural addiction to to money and luxury. It seems as though we have become completely obsessed with obtaining the next best thing. We feel like we have to keep up with the latest trends just to feel good about ourselves. Some of us may feel embarrassed by our houses, clothing, or even technology like TV's and cell phones if they are not new or "nice" by our own standards. People who are living comfortably are still unhappy if they cannot afford the nice things they see on TV. Kids are even picked on in schools if they are not wearing certain brands of clothing or sneakers. To the left is an online add for the department store, Lord and Taylor. It is a perfect example of the competition in our country to be the best in order to feel the best. It is a refection of American greed.  
        Greed has become a major problem in the United States. The pressure for more is having an impact on our country in ways you may not realize. I found an article on line called, America's Disease is Greed. It points out ways that our collective luxury addiction contributes to our societal problems. The article lists a large number of of issues. Some of the statements I disagree with, but it is quite an eye opener.

http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0820-09.htm

-Mia De Plato

Reading these articles on living within such a consumption based capitalist society I thought about alternatives to this addiction that we have with buying things. There are a few alternatives which many would find radical. One is the freeganism movement which chooses to live outside the confines of capitalism by scavenging for things such as food and clothing. I have included a video above of this movement which really brought to light how much waste there is not only within this country but other countries of the western world. Another alternative to waste is a future app set to be released soon called Leftover Swap. With this app you can take search for food leftover in your area and arrange to pick it up. Alternatively you can post picture of your leftovers so someone else can enjoy it and the food wont be thrown away and wasted.  The facts and projections on the website are very interesting. - Amanda Opisso
http://leftoverswap.com/

      Smoking is the second worst addiction across the globe coming in right behind alcoholism. According to the American Cancer Society 1 out of 5 adults in the United States smoke cigarettes. Individuals addicted to smoking tend to go through 3 packs in a single week. With the price of cigarettes being about $8/pack a heavy smoker spends about  $1250/year on cigarettes. Also, cigarettes are a major health risks and are responsible for about 443,000 death each year in the United States alone. However, the earlier you quit and the longer you stay away from smoking your body tries to heal itself. 
      As displayed in the picture as little as 20 minutes after quitting your heart rate and blood pressure drop back to normal. 12 hours after quitting the level of carbon monoxide in the blood drops to normal. 2 weeks after quitting circulation and lung functions improve. After the first week and working through the ninth week after quitting smoker "norms", such as a constant cough and shortness of breath, work normally again and clean the lungs to reduce risk of infection.  One year after your risk of getting coronary heart disease is half as high as a smoker's. 5 years after the risk of contracting mouth, throat, esophagus, and bladder cancers is half of what it is for smokers. Cervical cancer and strokes risks decrease as well. 10 years after the risk of dying from lung cancer if half that of smoker's and your risk of pancreatic and larynx cancer  decreases. Finally, 15 years after quitting your risk of heart disease it equivalent to that of a non-smoker.

-Morgan McKenna