“Time” interview with Reid Jordan

TI= Time Interviewer

RJ= Reid Jordan

TI: So Dr. Jordan please give us a brief summary of what you have achieved.

RJ: Well one year ago I completed my design for the Jordan motor. Its revolutionary design has changed the way we obtain our energy needs. It has eliminated almost need for fossil fuels in America. Soon I hope to sell the motor in every country.

TI:  Yes the world is rejoicing over your monumental feat in engineering. We at time magazine are focusing on how people’s lives may or may not be shaped by their environment and how classical and operant conditioning affects their success.  

RJ: Well alright. I grew up in a poor home in inner city Pittsburg. My parents were alcoholics. Life at home was rough but it forced me to grow up.

TI: Well can you give us an example of how you were operantly conditioned?

RJ: Sure. When I was twelve I started working as a shop hand in a garage. After working there for a while I started to pick up bits of information about engines and motors. One day a mechanic was out sick. Needing help and frustrated my boss asked me to help. To his surprise he found I was competent enough to lend a hand. He told me then that if the mechanic was out ever again he would pay me to take his place for the day. Mechanic pay was almost double what I made so wanted to become as competent as I could. From thereon out I learned and remembered every piece of information I could about motors. You could say that the extra pay was positive reinforcement for learning as much as I could.

TI: So did this eventually lead you into becoming an inventor of motors.

RJ: Yes it did. It got me interested in the field and gave me a basic knowledge to build on.

TI: Can you tell us an example of classical conditioning that changed you?

RJ: Yes I can. When I was 14 I started to check out books from the local library. We didn’t have books at home; there was no money for them. I had a desire to learn as much as I possibly could about the things that interested me. I started checking out books every Friday afternoon after I left school and went to my job. I would spend every waking moment that wasn’t devoted to school or work on reading. Pretty soon it became a habit. I would check out a book Friday, read it over the week and return it the next Friday. I began to associate getting out of school on Friday with getting a book and learning.

TI: Dr. Jordan can you think of a psychological perspective that can describe your life?

RJ: The Humanistic Perspective is actually very relevant to my life. I started out with almost nothing. I was poor with no support of my endeavors from my parents. It was through my own will and hard work that I made it this far. It goes to show that when “life hands you lemons; make lemonade”. And look at me now!

TI: Your story is truly inspiring Dr. Jordan. Thank you very much for your time.