This semester at Panteio University has been an incredible journey. I have taken several courses that have been amazing and enlightening. One of the most rewarding studying experiences that I had was with Systems theory, psychology and social media. It simply explains the theoretical underpinnings and the practical tools needed to apply systemic knowledge to scientific exploration and professional development. When choosing my courses to take this semester this was one of the first ones to caught my eye. At the time, I believed that the name of the class meant that I would revisit Systems Theory in the psychology setting and learn how Social Media has shaped interactions.
From this class I gained a new awareness of the world through a system theoretical lens. The general idea that a system is more than the sum of its parts was especially fascinating because it could be applied to anything and everything in my life, and especially over how I see myself and my interactions with others. We are better able to solve problems when we know how these systems are connected to one another. Even though there were a lot of concepts covered in the course, I felt because of the amount of time we had we could only really appreciate the surface of it all. However, the class piqued my interest and inspired me to conduct additional independent research.
What took me for surprised, one that I enjoyed very much, was that the professor encouraged us to write down our feelings, even when most of the time they are not positive or upbeat, and then when we return home, we revisit the subject matter of the class and transform our understanding of it into an anonymous blogpost to share with our classmates, this class proved to be a lot more abstract and thought-provoking than I could have ever imagined. I love the idea that was presented that taking a systems view involves looking at how dysfunctional behaviors result from interactions among the parts of a system over time. I feel like it provides a way of examining the potential unintended consequences of proposed interventions and of recognizing the impact of time delays and feedback.
I now know that this long-term, interdisciplinary perspective stands in sharp contrast to the fix-it-now mentality that is increasingly prevailing in our complicated world. Our economic system, in which shareholders care more about quarterly returns than long-term corporate health (accentuated by technology that provides instant access to massive amounts of data), may be the source of the reliance on band aids. Managers focus on short-term results to maintain high stock prices and option values. It could be a result of our political system, in which politicians invest in symptomatic solutions rather than fundamental ones, which take longer to produce results than the individua i’s term of office. Or it could be the result of our educational system, which fails to educate students about the fundamental ways in which feedback processes operate in the real world.
In addition, the system’s concept of connectivity—the idea that everything is connected—is very interesting and useful. It was, in my opinion, one of the most significant concepts we studied this semester. It seems likely that I will never forget about it. Keep in mind that even if you do not find a solution to a problem, there will always be another one—one that you did not think of and that was always connected to your problem—that you can use when you are stuck.
I also got a better understanding of how nature works thanks to the lesson. Although I had previously preferred to separate humanity from nature, it is now abundantly clear that the same mechanism operates in both. Since it is incomprehensible that he is capable of such a level of self-renewal, man has a propensity to forget this and to take the operations of nature for granted. The world, and perhaps even humanity, were unprepared for nature’s ruggedness, even if humanity initially believed otherwise. We can see that the end will never come because it has never happened before, so maybe man cannot stop his destruction. However, we completely disregard our close relationship with the natural world.
In addition to people, there is a significant factor that unites everything, which is nature. I gained a lot of respect for nature through the classes: the natural laws, human nature, the soul’s nature, and my own nature. It is humbling to realize how our essentials connect us. Every individual is a part of both their small and big environments. Aside from this, we are always and forever a part of humanity and the infinite cycle of nature as a human. Earth, which is only a small portion of the Milky Way, is where I live. I was able to measure the events of my daily life with this thought, which made me realize that nothing really has a real meaning. Things of this nature are not issues; I’m the one who brought this about and perceives it as a problem. I am the cause of some of the bad things that happen to me, not the way life is. Nature is neither good nor bad on its own; It is simply a vast, intricate system with thousands of components.
I think that one of my biggest takeaway from this course is the better understanding tha it is essential to listen, guide, construct meaning, share, inquire, make sense, and, most importantly, comprehend relationships, their workings, failures, and implications. I believe this is the point in your development of exceptional skill when you shift into this mode of applying your systems thinking. Do not criticize others points of view; instead, honor them and use your skills to help rather than to be right. You will likely push someone further away the more you attempt to correct them. Be helpful if you really want change. Do not try to sell anything to other people; instead, help them understand their surroundings and discover new things.
I really enjoyed this course methodology, because I could feel the motivation from the professor for us to have an effective learning, by discussing the course’s utility, value, and applicability from the outset I was able understand the ways that the course provides an essential foundation. I also love the fact that there was a sense of community, where we got to know one another. Here I got the opportunity to share my oopinions, knowledge, and experience. ALso the fact that the professor was always available which gave me a sense of calmness and security.
One thing I would work on is that there was moments where it was hard to focus. Lacking the structure of a traditional school day, while also maintaining the same structured information might make difficult to concentrate, prioritize, organize the time, and stay on track. I would say that sometimes it felt like the material was so deep and complex that we couldn’t properly dissect it in the class and had to stay in a very superficial level, which cause for some of us to lose the focus on the main idea of that days class. But overall I can say this is an amazing class, that help me grow not only as a student or in my career but also as a human being.