Here is a list of systems in my life. Underneath each system I have also added ways in which I can mess up the system by changing something about the feedback:

1. Cooking:
   Input: Hunger
   Output: Satisfaction
   Feedback: Talent/skill
   Other Factors: Diet, time, peopleCook dishes have never cooked before for a day
   Only cook what I can make within 5 minutes.
   Assemble all pics of food I have eaten over the past few years (I always take pics of new things I eat/ cook)
2. Communication:
   Input: Necessity
   Output: Knowledge gained or given
   Feedback: Urgency
   Other Factors: intelligence, language, personal vs. professionalRespond to all email, text, etc, that I receive within a day
   Speak with a thick Indian accent for a day
3. Religion
   Input: Belief
   Output: Tradition
   Feedback: Passion
   Other Factors: Family, culture, time, dedicationTry reading a religious text that is not from my religion
   Attend another religions’ meeting
4. Language
   Input: Idea
   Output: Communicate
   Feedback: Audience
   Other Factors: Culture, Family, Friends, Location, SpeciesSpeak Tamil to everyone for one day
5.  Transportation
   Input: Leave
   Output: Arrive
   Feedback: Distance
   Other Factors: Weather, Time, CompanyVisit a PAT public meeting
   Walk to all destinations regardless of distance
   Wait for 1 specific bus the whole day
6. Hygiene
   Input: routine
   Output: Clean
   Feedback: Tolerance (of feeling dirty)
   Other Factors: Family, Friends, Responsibilities, SocietyDedicate 2 hours for brushing my teethe
   Bathe in ice cold water for a week
7. Study
   Input: Confused
   Output: Understand
   Feedback: Skill
   Other Factors: Interest, tiredness, timeAttend academic development
   Attend study sessions for 1 day (even if I do not take the class)
8. Relationships
   Input: Lonely
   Output: Support System
   Feedback: Maintenance (keeping in touch)
   Other Factors: Who?, Family, Professional vs. Personal, memories, grudgesRespond to all email, texts, social media, that I receive in a day (even if it is spam)
   Write letters to everyone that I have not kept in touch with
9. Reading
   Input: Curiosity
   Output: Knowledge
   Feedback: Time/speed
   Other Factors: Interest, personal vs assigned, genre, lengthOnly read Magazines for one day
   Read texts that are not assigned and are not interesting for me
10. Sleeping
    Input: exhausted
    Output: refreshed
    Feedback: Time
    Other Factors: work, tiredness, Parents, schedule, rulesDo not sleep for a night
    Sleep with hourly interruptions
    Spend a day where you sleep for an hour, work an hour, sleep, work, sleep, etc
11. System That I changed for 1 day:
    Self – improvement
    Input: Need to Change
    Output: Become a better person
    Feedback(negative) : criticism
    Feedback(Positive) : Praise
    Other Factors: work, professionalism, self-esteem, confidence, societyIn this system, I found it interesting that the system has clear negative and positive feedbacks. However, People most often seek to improve themselves through criticism even though positive reinforcement (praise) is proven to work better. I believe that this system is closely tied in with societal norms or pressures; if someone seeks praise then they are labelled as narcissistic, over-confident, and more. It is also hard to receive praise since we are not trained on how to graciously accept it. To break this system, I spent a day trying to let everyone on my contacts list know what great things they’ve done for me or just how special they were. After getting past the initial discomfort of writing such wonderful things and sending them out to be judged, it was interesting to see the different reactions.
    Here is a link to the post which Documents this experience: teach.alimomeni.net/2014spring1/?p=4024

In: desire to succeed
Process: schoolwork
Out: grades
Change: Write in Cursive instead of print.

In: Motivation to improve
Process: Practicing Guitar
Out: Improvement in skill and self-satisfaction
Change: Play with Teeth instead of hands

In: Need to carry items to class
Process: Storing all of books and folders in backpack
Out: Ability to carry many items around
Change: Carry things with little purse

In: Tiredness, wanting to rest
Process: Sleeping
Out: Replenished energy
Change: Sleeping with stuffed animals instead of blankets.

In: Wanting to absorb more knowledge
Process: Browsing the web
Out: learned knowledge
Change: Learning from a book instead of from a laptop.

In: Hunger/Food
Process: Eating/Digestion
Out: fulfillment
Change: Eating only vegetables.

In: Desire to reach a location
Process: Transportation:
Out: Reaching the destination
Change: Walk everywhere instead of going by Vehicle

In: Social Norms
Process: Behaving in acceptable ways
Out: Ability to fit in
Change: Eating on the table from the chair vs. eating on the chair from the table

In: Wanting to connect with people online
Process: chatting through online
Out: self-satisfaction and connection with old friends.
Change: typing in chinese instead of english

ONE DAY:
In: Desire to communicate with others.
Process: Greeting/talking to others.
Out: Recognition, Reciprocation
Change: Communicate using only animal sounds

A short clip from my day…..

In this assignment, we were asked to change one system in our lives. I chose to focus on something that I had been thinking about this break; the system of communication in our society. More specifically, I was thinking more along the lines of how we are more willing to offer criticism rather than praise because of societal pressures. Especially when someone is looking to improve themselves, it is more often that they do it through criticism (negative feedback) rather than praise (positive feedback).

Therefore, for this assignment, I decided to send positive feedback to everyone on my contact list. Granted, this list is very small since I am apparently an unsociable person who isn’t in the habit of asking for numbers. However, I found it interesting to reconnect with people I never talk to anymore (like my freshman room mate) and to offer them things I noticed were their strong points or praise for things they have done for me in the past.

This is a master compilation of the texts I sent and received texts back from :

More Documentation: I printed out the texts I received back and mounted them so that each has their own iphone – like frame.

This was an interesting project for me since I sent out texts early that morning and was receiving and sending out even more throughout the day. It was especially nice to hear from people who I have not kept in contact with and to hear the nice ompliments I got back in return. One of the more surprising things turned out to be that people who I am friends with but not very close to replied instantly whereas people who I am extremely close to still haven’t replied. I suppose it has to do wih ‘no words needed’?

Waking up late vs. waking up early

Read in bed vs. read outside

Brush teeth at sink vs. brush teeth at toilet

Non-fiction vs fiction

Play to win vs. try something new

A simple breakfast vs. a complete breakfast

Glasses vs no glasses

Dress shoes vs. sneakers

Google vs. Bing

No music vs. music