What is the significance of Old Man Warner bringing up the "young folks". What role do young people play in our society?
Through Old Man Warner’s eyes, the young folks represent the new changes within society that he dislikes. He is accustomed to his own traditions that he grew up with, and therefore, he is threatened by change. The young folks are the future of society, and with them comes the breaking of tradition, and therefore, the frightening uncertainty of the future.
The young people play a colossal role in our society. We are the people who will make or break everything, for everything we do greatly impacts the present and the future. A typical stereotype of young people is that they are lazy, unappealing, underachievers who don’t do anything to make a difference in life. However, this is completely untrue. If anything, we are the people who make the most difference in life and in our society, especially with all the freedom we have. We are hopes and dreams just waiting to happen. We are the ones with our whole lives ahead of us, so if we want to make changes in our lifetime, we can. We are people who can break tradition if we believe it is wrong and improve it, or even make our own, which we constantly do everyday. Through school and life, we have learnt about mistakes past generations have made, and we learn from them to improve things in life. Of course, we have made mistakes, and will continue to do so because it is inevitable, but because of some of our mistakes, some older generations view us as unworthy of all that we have, and that we are not on the same pedestal as them. However, we should not be defined by these mistakes, and we should be trusted that we can do well in life. It has been shown that all it takes is one person to change the world. However, instead, it is one generation that can change the world, and it is ours. We have a mind set that we can do anything if we want to, so if we apply that to everything beneficial we do in life, and for society, something amazing will happen. Also, we not only play a substantial role for society now, and in the future by what we do, but also by who we are as people. What we do and who we are affect future generations of people as well. Therefore, if we have a positive role in society and in life in our lifetime, the next generations will hold onto that, and "pass it on" to their future generations of people. Thus, we really do have the largest role in our society and in life presently, and in the future.
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Good job. Even though the font is slightly too small but other than that, the idea is quite agreeable. I like the idea that traditions and rules evolve so that they are constantly becomng better and closer to perfection.
ReplyDeleteHowever, there are certain phrases that are hard to grasp. For exapmle:" It has been shown that all it takes is one person to change the world. However, instead, it is one generation that can change the world, and it is ours. " The two sentences contradict each other.
I like your ability to focus on one topic though.
To start off with, I have to say that your post was not only well written, but also very realistic. There are, however, a few points on which I disagree with you. First of all, young people aren't exactly going to "make or break" everything. Previous generations have, as you say, stumbled through the motions of altering traditions, and with each generation many negative things have occurred. But none of these generations has completely made or broken anything. Our world is still around even though our traditions and customs have changed.
ReplyDeleteAlso, for the most part, our generation is lazy and underachieving. We are content with our technology and our comforting lifestyle. We perform minimal manual labor and we take much of what we have for granted.
Oh, and Jisong, the two sentences weren't contradicting one another, the second was there to refute the first.
May you please stop viewing the posts in only one view? Laziness is what allowed technology to advance.
ReplyDeleteBecause humans are lazy, we invented farm so that we don't have to hunt.
Because we are lazy, we want to have supersonic planes, hypersonic planes, etc.
Because we are lazy, we invented internet so that fast viewing of information is possible.
Because we are lazy, shipping companies are booming.
Because we are lazy, we invented vending machines so that money can just pour in and goods can just pour out.
Because we are lazy, we invented laser so that no knives are required for surgeries.
Because we are lazy, we are constantly finding quicker, shorter, and easier ways to do things.
In short, the glory of humanity is built upon laziness.
In fact, no sin can truely be a sin and no virtue can truely be a virtue.
ReplyDeleteJustice without passion is just rath;
Hard work without thinking is just stupid;
Hope without practicality is just day dreaming;
Equality without order is just chaos;
Braveness without fear is just what will get you killed.
Yes, the glory of humanity has been built on laziness, but your statement has one problem. There is no glory of humanity.
ReplyDeleteBecause we are lazy, children die in sweatshops manufacturing our clothes for less than 20 cents an hour.
Because we are lazy, we cut down tens of thousands of acres of forest, killing animals as we destroy their homes in order that we may have ours.
Because we are lazy, we rape and kill the sons and daughters of other nations, just so that we can call ourselves conquerors.
Because we are lazy we polute the earth with our technology, instead of just putting in a few extra hours to make our technology less ecologically harmful.
Yes, all that humanity is has been built around laziness, but in retrospect of all that has been said, humanity is a very sorry sight to behold.
And thank ye kindly for insulting my viewpoint Jisong, you aren't too open-minded yourself.
Actually, I was surprised when I read that Jisong actually liked this post. I didn't think there was anything you agreed with.
ReplyDeleteI agreed on most of the points. Just that being negative is always easier-"it is easier to be a critic than to be the artist."
ReplyDeleteMay I ask you a question, is it better to be paid 20 cents an hour than to have none at all?
ReplyDeleteIs it possible for humanity to advance without making mistakes?
Is technology a soldier that destroys to create or a creator that creates without destruction?
And last of all, are we gods or are we the imperfect beings that struggle to become better?
If you are expecting us to have perfect moral, perfect technologies, perfect social balance, perfect in every way, I am sorry to say this, but that MAY not be possible. Glory of humanity is every where, we overcame natural disasters, we overcame racial discrimination, we overcame our own mistakes and at end of every struggle, we can see a brighter future and work towards it.
“Lord, grant that I may always desire more than I can accomplish.”-Michelangelo
We at least see the need to conserve, to protect, and to nurish other living beings instead of ripping their heads off or ram them over a cliff like what most other animals do.
We invented inventions of unimaginable complexity and works of undefinable value. Look at space ships, computers, laptops, even the most common and every day clock.
We have glory.
We have pride.
We have ingenuity.
One last thing:
ReplyDelete"Because we are lazy, we rape and kill the sons and daughters of other nations, just so that we can call ourselves conquerors."
Both killing and raping require a massive amount of effort and man power. And even that may take years. Whoever does that is clearly not lazy, but just heartless and desires whatever he was thinking.
And just an after thought, I did not rape and kill people and then call myself conqueror. So...I am not exactly sure was that suppose to be an insult or not....
ReplyDelete...
ReplyDeleteI don't think that she's referring to you
Oh...but she said "we"...So yeah...
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ReplyDeleteFirst off, Jisong, I fail to see why you have come to the conclusion that it is my goal in life to insult you at every turn. It isn't, and if I have given that impression I am honestly and truly remorseful.
ReplyDeleteOn the next hand, WOW, you've given me a lot to reply to in one little comment. And as I don't intend to start double posting, I would take this moment to apologize in forethought for the miniature novel that is about to transpire on the blog.
All formalities covered, I have a question to ask you:
If you are paying seventy dollars before tax, for a sweater made by a company such as Nike; a sweater for which the materials and production cost in fifteen dollars in total. Why can't Nike spare an extra two dollars to pay their workers? (How much can transportation possibly cost?)
And how can you pass off the thoughtless murder and extinction of thousands of people and animals as mere "mistakes." People's lives are on the line.
Furthermore, what you said about us not being gods is precisely my point. What business of ours is it to decide that we are better and stronger and thus we must prevail over other races and cultures?
And what brighter future do you speak of? Face it, among climate change, economic crisis, holes in our ozone layer and petty wars; do we as humans have much of a chance at survival? The odds are a billion to one, and definitely NOT in favour.
Finally, I honestly do not see too much benefit to having space ships. Don't get me wrong, I love having knowledge of the universe every bit as much as next man over. I appreciate science and exploration. But if what we're doing is causing more harm than good, (which it does) shouldn't we stop?
And I'm sorry, but I don't see eye to eye with you on the comment you made about humans being somehow better than animals. At least animals know their role in their ecosystem and they stick to it. You don't see zebras attempting a lion massacre.
So i guess you just dislike the human race. But we have our bright future ahead us in many ways:
ReplyDelete1.we need to find out how exactly did life came about. Is it possible to create cells without cell division?
2.Explore space and its many stars. Go beyond Earth and its protective circle of asteroids.
3.Does higher dimensions exist?
4.What is gravity if we are to ever to be able to describe it?
5.What is space time if whatever outside is nothing?
6.What is the meaning of life?
7.What is time?
8.Why will the laws of physics break down in a black hole?
9.How will we be able to travel in passages of time?
10. What is our brain? How does it work? Why does it work? Why did it exist? Why do we have consciousness? Why do we have thoughts and feelings? What are we and what role do we play?
Animals do not know what role they play in an ecosystem just as humans do not know what they are here for. We create religion to cover that problem; animals see only the need for food, water, survival, and sex.
If you want to say that every murder, homocide, genocide is not a mistake, I do not what I am suppose to say. If you want us to be perfect in your way, I see no need for human existence.
+Cost of Transportation+
You brought up the issue with the cost of transportation, well, it is quite expensive. If you decide to bring and 100g music box with you to space, it will cost an additional 10,000 US dollars. But of course, most of us travel by plane, so it is just another 95 bucks. And even then, your points are still off. You are trying to state the cruelity of child labour but forgeting that if it does not exist, they will have no money at all and starve and die. They worked because they have no other choice. The true question is why are we not helping them? And the answer is that we have our own necks to save. We do have charities, but if we are to share everything, the economy will be in turmoil. Since it is the natural instincts of any being to want to live, humans are not to be blamed.
If you want to make my life easier, next time be more honest with your apologies.
"I am sorry. I said only because you will be in my classes for the remaining of year and then there is the field trip to ashland...I dont really want to say sorry but..." That is worser than no apology.
Here is your long over-dued apology:
I am sorry that I did anything wrong. If I hurt your feelings I will try harder next time. Hopefully we have a nice time togather for the remaining of the school year, and I wish you good luck in your future career.
May your logic guide you
Jisong.
And this will probably stop anyone from posting again on this topic but I guess no one will mind...
ReplyDeleteWow, okay. I think I'll just stop apologizing, because you don't want to hear me say sorry. No tears wasted, I think I'll move on.
ReplyDeleteIn all honesty, I'll be sorry if things end this way. I enjoy speaking with you, and I realize I'm a bit of a jerk. I get it all right? I know I'm imperfect, I don't pretend that I'm not; but I make mistakes. As I think you've pointed out, everyone does.
And if you want to turn around and say that you don't believe I'm being frank when I say this, that's fine. It's your choice and I won't be the black cloud that rains on your picnic.
Curse the internet for removing emotion from everything one says.
wow i think helen and jisong need a happy hour sometime XD rite tina? ; )
ReplyDeleteI have this kind of problem every 2 years...You don't need to broadcast it out loud...And don't worry, we will move on as if nothing has happened.
ReplyDeleteStrange how conflicts can come and go, leaving a trail of dried up stream. Sometimes they will be covered up, as a storm approaches; or to be left behind, when a new light is to fall and to guide.
That is life, one can suppose, but will only fail to fathom its unimagined height. In a busy day, we forget all the trouble, and when it approaches dusk when time stretches long and events that fills it, fall short, recollection will be without hesitation. Then as dreams had one day forecasted, you will see a true goal and thread towards it. Even every so tiny and small- even every so enormous beyond imagine, will be your new light-one that guides you and the one you pursue. Hope may run high as sadness is but recorded in a hasty wild sketch. Life is therefore a dynamic being-creating and recreating-allowing nature to shape its beings. Later as it all comes to, one failed brush stroke is quickly covered up and became hidden by a scene of random but neatness of order and chaos-no mistake can be a mistake and every perfection is a mistake. Just like an actor playing a scene: mistakes are undesirable but only if they are uncovered and exposed. Even a small tremble of hands can be regarded as professional instead of a sweating rooster on stage. That is life.
We dont need a happy hour. Life moves on and I have more to pursue than to stay on a shaking boat. Much more.
Plus, Tina is not even reading this...Even though she may be offended that I used her post to comment on things that are definitely irrelevant to the topic...Oh well...
ReplyDeleteAnd for those who did not know what happened, me and helen had a violent debate about the importance of math in octobre. It has a violent ending. Therefore I have to apologize for pissing her off enough to hit me. After that, I trained myself to have better reflex. Apparently, she still thinks that math is not every where...
ReplyDeleteBut then...I don't want to start another debate anytime soon...so yeah...
ReplyDeleteAnd apologize for double posting.
And apologize for quadruple posting...oh man...I posted again =(
ReplyDeleteOur "debate" didn't exist. All that happened was you said something annoying and I smacked you LIGHTLY on the forehead, accidentally touching your glasses. That's not how you spell OctobER. And it wasn't a violent ending. Your reflexes still suck, and I acknowledge that math is everywhere. I'm not stupid.
ReplyDeleteI don't need a happy hour. Jisong can (and has) speak for himself.
And honestly Jisong, you shouldn't take me too seriously. I don't hate you, and I don't have a problem with you. In fact, in some preverse and curious way I enjoy having you around.
Would you get that in your head?
Excuse my tardiness, but I do not think humans invent because we are all lazy. I think humans invent for the sake of need and development. Walking took forever and society was tribal. Horses were later domesticated and continental trade has begun alongside with civilization. Motorized transportation was invented for convenience and fast terrestrial travel, airplanes for air, ships for sea and rockets for space.
ReplyDeleteand we've destroyed the world in our processes, whether our motivation was laziness or curiosity.
ReplyDeleteWeird. I do remember that some people say that I can create humour in a twisted way...Whatever...
ReplyDeleteSelf compliments are unnecessary.
Regardless, humans are now trying to fix it. It is time same way as a ecosystem: sudden population boom of predators results less food for all the predators and cause them to starve.
I am going to complain about my English mark...2 percent below class average...epic fail...awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwful...........
ReplyDeleteBy the way Helen...Of course you don't hate me...you just "hate every espect of [me]."
ReplyDeleteAnd that was a direct quote from you...
Any ways, I feel terrible that I ruined the discussion for this blog...sorry Tina...(Omg, this is the 5th apology I have to make this week...something is definitely wrong with me...)
ReplyDeleteLets get back to the topic...
Civilizations are based on mistakes. Every mistake sheds light on what needs to be fixed, and every correction is what is bringing us closer to perfection. Just like us, civilization can be regarded as a constantly changing being. Always wanting to be improved and be better in every way.
"Forgiveness is the economy of the heart... forgiveness saves the expense of anger, the cost of hatred, the waste of spirits. "
-Hannah More
We forgive each other for mistakes we have made and move on: each time improving ones character and traits. It is the same for a civilization whose traits are build upon us-its mobile parts.
To undignify ourselves is pointless as well as foolish as every energy spent on anger and hatred could have been used for solving this every closer to perfect puzzle.
darn, grammatic , mistakes again...
ReplyDeleteOh well...
ReplyDelete"God will forgive me. It's his job. "
-Heinrich Heine
just another funny quote I found...
Thank you for your delightful sextuple posting. brilliant, simply brilliant.
ReplyDeleteNo one cares about your English mark.
We're all too busy worrying about our own grades.
And I don't hate "every aspect of you", and you need to get over your assumptions that I do. Don't take me too seriously. half of what I say is a joke, the other half is lies, and all of it is me making a fool of myself.
Look at that, off topic, yet again... Woopsies.
Base ball is 50% physical and 90% mental...
ReplyDeleteI dont think you hate me...maybe just that you like to annoy me...
ReplyDeleteI'm not trying to annoy you, and the fact that I've succeeded in doing so says more about you than it says about me.
ReplyDeleteAnd personally, I'd say baseball is 100% just plain dumb. The reasoning behind the desire to hit a tiny white ball around on an oddly shaped field with aluminum sticks escapes me.
And I've played baseball for years.
It's also much more than 50% physical. Whoever said that was a pitcher.
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Any ways... Back to the main point... This response is excellent in the sense of its focused arguement on how the older generation feel threatened by a change unleashed by the younger generation. Just like a physical law, people don't want to change-they wish to stay in the position they were in. For instance, look at those people who still believe that Earth is flat. Even after we have pratically taken a photo of Earth to prove that Earth is actually ballistic, they still believe that Earth is flat and the photo is photoshopped. It sounds increduous to us now, but this is true to us too. How many fans of celebrities stopped worshipping their idols when scandals are broadcasted across the nation? How many actually believed that the events are true? The answer is very few. Ever wondered why your parents want you to write out commitments? Ever wondered why salespersons are so confident of their products that if purchases them, you will not want to return it due to unsatisfaction? The sheer force of commitment can easily elude the power of logic and the persuasiveness of truth. Humanity lives their lives bordered on emotions rathered than facts.
ReplyDelete