Greatness

           We live in a society that celebrates ideals and greatness. We passionately follow our favorite professional sports teams and athletes, spending long hours debating their exploits with our friends. In school, we study the works of the greatest minds history has seen, including Shakespeare’s literature and Newton’s theories in physics. We enjoy listening and watching the most dramatic musicians and actors. Although we realize that we can never achieve even an approximation of these people’s mastery in their respective fields, we do not feel down on ourselves.

So why is beauty any different? Why do people apparently have lower self-esteem if they are not as attractive as Barbie when they simply accept that they will not be a fraction of the player Lebron James is? The fact that Barbie is an idealistic representation of beauty is, in some ways, a good thing. It teaches us that although we must strive for excellence, there will always be someone better than us.

As a child, I never compared myself to my toys; I imagined myself as my action figures and stuffed animals. I imagined myself as having the strength of an elephant or the speed of a cheetah. I never compared myself to these animals and felt down that I could never achieve their skills. Similarly, I would infer that girls may have imagined themselves as Barbie rather than compared themselves to her. Mr. Ryan did not “design Barbie as a weapon”; he intended for Barbie to be an icon of beauty, encouraging children to imagine themselves as a larger than life person with greater independence and self-esteem.

In short, neither Barbie nor the idealistic beauty standards should be criticized; it is the mindsets of the people that must be changed. People must be more open to appreciating the greatness of others while priding themselves in the skills and talents they do possess.

Risk vs. Reward

In the general public, a new discovery or invention is met with a sense of wonder and excitement. Rarely are people cautious of any negative repercussions. Some of the inventions that are most relevant to our lives are in the forms of technology, including phones and the internet. The need to exercise caution begins right here: we tend to overuse this technology have no idea what impact the technology will have on us long-term, fifty years from now.

It is also important to remember that, while some degree of caution is required, being overly cautiousness can lead to people potentially becoming intolerant to new ideas. For example, Copernicus’s theory of a heliocentric as opposed to a geocentric solar system was met with much skepticism, and so was Darwin’s theory of evolution. The theory of evolution does not present any real risks whatsoever, but people still perceived risks just because it was different from their personal, rooted ideologies. The theory of a spherical Earth instead of a flat one was also a major dispute in history, and it apparently is still disputed by some today. Explorers to the New World were once cautious about sailing because they feared falling off the flat Earth, but they nevertheless braved this fear.

Although cautiousness is required in future scientific research, I don’t think that such cautiousness should compromise the spirit of the research and the risks involved to create a new technology. Stating that the future of science is “hemmed with peril” is too dramatic and unrealistic. While progress in science and technology does bring its own set of unanticipated risks, I believe that science generally allows for less caution, greater safety, and more innovation.

Misunderstanding

The controversy regarding the Charging Bull and Fearless Girl statues is primarily a result of misunderstandings between different groups of people. While advocates for Charging Bull view the bull as a celebration of the strength of the American economy, feminists may view the statue as a symbol for the “lack of women on corporate boards” and “unimaginative sexis[m].” In the end of the day, the conflict over the statues can be seen as a confirmation of the difficulties in acknowledging and accepting other viewpoints.

Feminists probably see the Charging Bull as an exhibition of masculine dominance primarily because the statue depicts a bull, a male animal. However, many fail to realize that Di Modica could have easily chosen to install a fierce animal other than the bull to celebrate American economic strength - perhaps an eagle or a horse. Would Visbal and other people have interpreted the statue to symbolize masculine dominance if the statue was of an animal that could be either gender? Probably not.

Essentially, I feel that Fearless Girl’s purpose to attack male-dominated Wall Street is largely unwarranted. Many prestigious universities have made deliberate efforts to increase female enrollment. For example, Harvard, MIT, Yale, and other universities all have over 40% female enrollment in their business schools. It will take time for these changes in universities to transfer to the workplace.

I also feel that attacking Wall Street for their lack of female employees is counterproductive, simply generating antagonism. The goal should be to promote cooperation between people of all backgrounds. Although it might have generated less attention from the media, perhaps a statue of men and women standing on equal terms in the vicinity of Wall Street would have been a more apt portrayal of the gender equality that society hopes to achieve.

English: The Pseudo Official Language of the U.S.

 “In Plain English” seemed to be a largely a pointless call for the adoption of English as the official language because English, at least in my everyday experiences, already is the official language.

Krauthammer seems to feel that declaring English as the official language of the U.S. can be a defensive mechanism of sorts against the large, “monoclonal linguistic culture” that has been arising due to Mexican American immigrants. He states that this monoclonal culture is “far from hypothetical,” but I strongly disagree; in recent times, it seems as if the U.S. is attempting to curb migration from Mexico and other countries that send poorer immigrants or refugees to the U.S. Even if immigration from Latin America continues to increase rapidly, these immigrants are often of poorer backgrounds and lack the social power to establish Spanish as a regional or national language. In fact, Latin Americans are probably more likely to attempt to learn English in the hopes of landing better career opportunities. Also, it is unlikely that Spanish ever becomes the common language in California, Texas, Florida, and other states because these states also receive high numbers of immigration from Asia and other countries.

I also wonder whether the establishment of English as an official language would undermine the foreign language education in American schools. At least at Troy High, there is only a two-year requirement of learning foreign languages. Could this requirement possibly disappear? Although learning languages such as Spanish and French do seem pointless in the grand scheme of things, as we are unlikely to use them in real life, I think these languages not only expose us to other cultures but also help us develop a deeper understanding of American culture as a whole.

Ambiguities in Language

“Words Don't Mean What They Mean” discusses how people use linguistic strategies to hint at a meaning that is different from what they are explicitly saying. While there are examples in which speaking ambiguously or with figurative language can lead to are, these ambiguities are largely beneficial to maintaining strong relationships. If people were completely straightforward with their intentions, it can lead to disrespect between people. For example, after a loss, competitors, despite feeling dejected, shake hands with their opponents, heartily congratulating  them. While congratulating someone, you profusely praise them for their accomplishment even if you don’t completely mean it. However, after a heartbreaking loss, people will often feel reluctant to congratulate their opponent. Maybe there was a bad call or an unlucky play and the loser feels they deserved the win over the victor. Still, it would not be proper to reveal your true emotions to your opponent. You could be called a sore loser. The press would ruthlessly villainize you for disrespecting the opponent.

I also thought that “whimperatives” were fitting name for a surprisingly common linguistic device. “Whimperatives” can be a tactful way of persuading someone because they appear to offer a choice in the matter when there actually is no choice. Responding to whimperatives actually makes me feel more uncomfortable than responding to more direct orders. However, I think the person issuing the order often feels more comfortable with a whimperative, as it feels like you’re given the receiver a choice in the matter.

While people may use ambiguities and whimperatives when speaking with people they know personally, they often don’t hesitate to criticize those they don’t meet on a regular basis, like public figures. News outlets find it alright to criticize these people because they don’t have to “negotiate that relationship” with them.

Death: Natural or a Struggle?

I found the ending of “The Death of the Moth” to be rather eerie and unsettling. Woolf remarks that the moth appears to admit that “death is stronger than [it is].” Woolf presents death as a struggle, involving a “last protest” and “extraordinary efforts” to attempt to ward off death and stay alive.

This seems to be a very pessimistic view of death. I view death as a more natural occurrence, instead of a struggle. Death is just one of the many milestones in our life, and the fact that it is inevitable should not be a sign of danger. After all, eating our meals and going to sleep are also necessary and inevitable, and people often look forward to them. Yet, in our culture, people are rarely accepting of death, always demanding to know a specific reason or explanation for death. People also have many fears of death. However, any fears are of death are generally due to not knowing about what, if anything, lies after death.

Woolf seems to consider the moth writhing and suffering before its death to be a battle against death; however, I believe this struggle is more a part of life than death. Woolf has just witnessed the moth for a few moments. We have little idea about how the moth has struggled against predators and natural forces from before. Struggles are simply a part of life. They just happened to result in death in the moth’s case.

A striking feature of the moth’s death was that it occurred in isolation. Perhaps Woolf concluded that all death occurs in isolation, a rather depressing view of death. However, in the cases of most deaths of people, including Woolf’s death, the community has a major role in helping people manage their condition and be remembered for their contributions to the world. Death is no fight or struggle; it is simply natural.

A Modest Demand

It is a melancholy object to witness the students of Troy High School. The students run frantically from class to class, agonizing over every last homework problem. Their single moment of relaxation after a long, grinding day is lunch, when they often find themselves preoccupied with other homework to catch up on. The students compete against each other in a competition they simply cannot hope to win.

I will now humbly share my own suggestions, which I hope “ will not be liable to the least objection.” My very dear comrade has suggested that meditation is the cure to all problems. It calms the mind and eases everyone’s stress. Therefore, I propose that everyone just settles down in a quiet place – on a rock outside or in the back of the woods – detaching themselves from the world. We will live with peace. There will be no wars or conflict.

Once we meditate, we will simply drop all our extracurricular and academic commitments. You might wonder, how will we attend college? Ah, but we will no longer have the need to attend college with the newfound peace we have attained. And perhaps nothing of material value will get accomplished. No longer will we see the latest phone or laptop being released to the public. No one will try to solve the world’s greatest problems, such as cancer, world hunger, and pollution. But when we’re meditating that all will not matter: what matters is that we attain our own inner happiness.

Considering Cultures

People from different cultures have vastly different perceptions of the food they eat. Many cultures associate food with social class; in the 1800s, “lobster was literally low-class food, eaten only by the poor.” Some cultures are appalled by certain animals that are considered delicacies in other parts of the world. While eating insects is very uncommon in the U.S. and is often considered repulsive, eating grasshoppers is quite common in Mexico. Many western cultures are also appalled by the fact that people in areas of China eat dogs.

Many cultures believe that the food people eat has a direct impact on the way they behave, similar to how drinking alcohol can cause people to lose their inhibitions and almost change their personalities. Cultures in South America may eat leopard, believing that doing so will help them gain the strength and cunning of the animal. On the other hand, Indian cultures believe that eating meat and spices can make someone aggressive and violent. Indians believe that eating foods like rice, lentils, and fresh vegetables can make a person more peaceful and alert. Other foods, such as leftovers and fatty foods, can leave people feeling lethargic and idol.

The best diet has been an ongoing debate, and, despite Wallace’s impassioned essay, people will continue to follow their own eating habits. Convincing someone else to adopt a certain diet seems like a pointless debate. Instead, we should probably respect other people’s food choices, just as we respect other cultures.

I Want Happiness

I want happiness. Today. But as I see the world around me, I find it nearly impossible to be completely happy, truly at peace. The world never seems to slow down; there are simply too many stressful occasions whether its school or even over break. However, it is a comfort to me that I am not the only one who deals with this struggle.

Everyone wants to be happy. Some older people reminisce about their past, their childhood, relaying their cherished memories in those “once upon a time” stories. The children I meet find happiness by playing their far-fetched games. They are all so creative: they are able to conjure up such fantastic scenarios like riding pink elephants and flying with the birds. Many find their happiness through religion, following the guidance of Jesus and other spiritual teachers to understand the world around them.

I want to be happy. I want to experience a laid back life in which I do not have a worry in the world. I also want to be successful in school and my other activities. I might not always want to analyze the rhetoric in an essay - as it can be painstakingly difficult -, but I tend to find it a very fulfilling experience. At present, pure happiness remains only a want. In the future, maybe it will become a reality.

Appearance: A Choice or an Obligation?

I thought that “About Men” and “There is no unmarked woman” were two pieces that complemented each other perfectly, offering a unique insight into the struggles faced by people of either gender. Tannen's discussion on the objectifying of women and the emphasis on their appearance is rather commonplace in the mainstream media; after about twenty-five years since her piece was published, we have a number of strong advocates for women’s rights, such as Michelle Obama. “About Men” discussed male insecurities, which I feel are definitely discussed less in the media but are just as important to consider.

Tannen seems to believe that the other women in the meeting are dressed well for the purpose of being promoted or attaining a greater standing in the workplace. Tannen seems to completely ignore the idea that people might dress up simply because they want to look their best. Tannen seems to believe that people dress up simply to impress other people: she says that “some days [she] just wants to get dressed and go about [her] business,” without having to conform to any expectations about her appearance. However, perhaps many people genuinely enjoy dressing nicely, as it may help them feel more confident and important. People may wish to imitate the athletes, musicians, or celebrities simply because they admire them, not for any ulterior motive.

I also found it quite interesting how Tannen provides no information regarding her own appearance. Has she also succumbed to the expectations of women’s appearances in the workplace? Or does she protest these prevailing gender norms by dressing in her own way?

Any Good in Stereotypes?

Stereotypes are widely considered to be negative, but stereotypes tend to give me a sense of comfort. I often find it easier to interact with people of a similar cultural background, a similar family, similar goals and experiences. It just so happens that the people I speak to on a regular basis and interact with are the same race as me. I don’t intentionally choose to interact with people of the same race, and I don’t think most people do. For many people, perhaps interacting with someone who is the same race is just easier and more convenient.

Staples seems to focus mainly on the negative stereotypes associated with his African American background.  He talks about how he seems “indistinguishable from the muggers” and has been mistaken for criminals. However, there are also many positive stereotypes about African American culture as well: African Americans are considered to be very athletically gifted and talented in rap, jazz, and other genres of music. From a more personal standpoint, Asians may be thought of as introverted and obsessive, but they are also considered to be very studious, hard-working, and humble. These stereotypes are largely positive, but can they still be hurtful?

While it does seem unreasonable to make entire generalizations based on someone’s race, I feel like making such inferences cannot be helped. We try to make connections with the world around us in order to better understand its functions and processes. Right now, it might be too difficult to move on from stereotypes altogether, as they have been ingrained into our society for decades. But maybe, for now, we can focus on the positive stereotypes and gradually move away from stereotypes altogether in the future, seeing people as the individuals they are.

  

The Perception of Disability

Disabled people definitely face many disadvantages. They are viewed as strange, almost eccentric people and are rarely represented on television and other media. They are more likely to suffer from mental health problems and face isolation. Perhaps it will be easier to be accepting of disabled people if we become more accustomed to them and have more opportunities to interact them. I was surprised to learn that as many as 19% of Americans suffer from a disability. Based on my personal experiences, I would have predicted that the statistic was just around 5%. Many disabilities are probably not so apparent to people who casually pass by. We might consider a person in a wheelchair or crutches to have been in an accident rather than suffering from a disability. Other disabilities, like autism, can often be difficult to notice. And how will we gain more exposure to people with disabilities? The lack of exposure to disabled people is “shrinking our insight into the physically and emotionally complex world” that we experience. We may be exposed to disabilities through a grandparent or a relative, but is that experience really enough to become accustomed to disability? I remember how in elementary school, our class would sometimes take time out of our day to interact with the autistic children in their separate classroom. These interactions were crucial in putting our lives in perspective, showing how fortunate we were to live “normal” lives. But with the workload in high school, we no longer have these interactions with other people which can lower our "insights" into the world. Perhaps the perception of disabilities depends on which particular disability someone has. Many people know about certain disabilities, such as blindness and autism, but it is important to understand how we cannot make generalizations about disabled people. We can notice their differences, but we must learn to respect them.