The Shining

The Shining is one of the best books that I have read in a long time, especially the characters. I have never read a book that gave such depth to each character, where you have a full understanding of how the character thinks and feels. I really like King’s style of writing in this book because he makes the Torrance family feel like a real regular family, even as they are going through supernatural events. As their stay in Overlook Hotel turned sour, I felt the family’s pain and frustration with the hotel, their family situation, and life in general.
Jack Torrance was a special character for me. For some reason, I really related to Jack and the struggles he had throughout his life. King did a good job of wrapping me into Jack’s slow descent into madness, incorporating good flashbacks that gave important insight into what made Jack Jack. I thought King mixed in these flashbacks well with the present time. Jack’s character really drew me in because of his realness. As with all of King’s other characters, Jack felt as if he could be a real life person. His frustration with his lack of support for the family and the position he had put them in, as well as his desire to do the right thing for them, created a sense of emotions that not many other characters ever have. King’s insight into Jack’s mind as events were happening and his painful memories created an understanding of and involvement with the character.

School is worthless

Although it somewhat depends on the career you choose, the majority of what you learn in school is totally irrelevant to most people’s lives. Eventually, each person has to choose a career path to follow, and it would be almost impossible for this career to involve everything that you learn in school. Take my schedule for example. I find it very hard to imagine a work scenario where I would need Chemistry, Music Theory, and Ancient Greece knowledge in one job. It is very possible that I would need the skills I have learned in just one of these classes, or maybe none of them at all. However, I don’t believe that there is much room for improvement of our education. The only alternative I can see to introducing all of these classes at one time to students is having the students pick everything. However, I know that at several points in my educational career, I wouldn’t have really known what I wanted to do, and having a decision that would affect the rest of my life would not have been the best thing for me at the time. Looking back, if I had been made to eliminate several possible careers by not picking them as classes, I would have freaked and probably made bad decisions about my future. I’m not sure if there is any other format of education that would better introduce the students to possible interests and careers that would better relate directly to what each student will do later on in life. Children advance at different levels, so it is tough to determine the difficulty of the curriculum and the amount of work required for each student.

Better Know A District

1. Dick Lugar (R) and Evan Bayh (D)
2. André Carson (D)
3. Glenn Howard (D)
4. Vanessa Summers (D)
5. Summers, Carson, Howard
7. Mitch Daniels (R) Jill Long Thompson (D) Andrew Horning (L)

#1

1. Although I believe that all people are born with equal opportunities to succeed in America, I think it impossible to truly make sure all people are created equal. Every child is born into a different environment. Whether they are born into a single parent or two-parent family, a middle class or a lower class family, or even are a boy or a girl, there is no way that every person will be equal to everyone else. And if it were made to be that way, I wouldn’t think it was right, because forced equality is the definition of communism, the opposite of what this country is supposed to be. I believe that equal opportunity is the only type of equality that suits America because it is the principle that America was founded upon. Being forced to be equal is a restriction of the rights that Americans care so much about. If all children were made to be created equal, then the parents of the children would have lost their right to the pursuit of happiness. The pursuit of happiness for many people involves their children’s future, and if they forced to be made equal to other children born at the same time, their hard work would be all for naught and they would consider their pursuit of happiness a failure. Also, the forcing of being created equal removes an important sense of individuality that all Americans feel. An American’s family, history, and unique surroundings are pieces of individuality that I personally don’t want to lose.

Super Size Me!

In the movie Super Size Me, Morgan Spurlock effectively communicates the message that eating McDonalds consistently on a regular basis will generally create future health issues such as liver and heart health. However, I don’t believe that McDonalds should be punished for the way their food is prepared. The customer is not obligated to buy McDonalds food, and although the movie leads you to believe that the food has some addictive properties, I think that it comes down to personal responsibility and that people should be held accountable for their decisions and should not be able to blame their misfortune on a company that provides them with food. Now that their nutrition facts are readily available for anyone to see, it puts the responsibility even more on the consumer. This makes it even more important for people to make good decisions about what they are eating, and they will suffer the consequences of their actions if they choose otherwise. I think this is a very important thing to have for a country as free as America. The ability to make your own decisions is an important part of what a free country should be, and when people blame McDonalds for their own decisions, something has gone wrong in our legal system. It disappoints me to know that some Americans seem to be afraid of their own accountability, and I am glad that the ruling in the court case against McDonalds went against the plaintiffs. People know what fast food does to the body, and although Spurlock’s point is well taken, it is clear in my opinion that McDonalds is not at fault for good marketing of their product.

Is American society too competitive?

Competitiveness can be a huge piece of a person’s makeup, and it can sometimes influence a person negatively. However, when I hear competition, I think of it in the terms of a free market. Competition on a large scale is a great thing for the consumers in a nation. The ability to create your own business and have a chance to compete with large chains and other big companies is something that makes this country great.
Competition between businesses is something you don’t have to look hard to find. Recently, I have been observing the prices of pizza between some popular brands and how they are affected by the smaller players. Up until several months ago, Domino’s, Papa Johns, and Pizza Hut all had the price of a large 1 topping pizza for at least $10. Then, Little Caesar’s came on the scene. They offered a large ready-to-go 1 topping pizza for $5. My local Little Caesar’s was packed every night with people buying pizzas by the boatload. Papa Johns and Pizza Hut did not suffer due to their high customer satisfaction. Domino’s however, which had always been the third most successful pizza chain in the area, immediately took a hit. This forced them to lower their prices dramatically; first to $6.99, then to $5.99, then finally to $5. Their sales seemed to recover substantially. Little Caesars, surprised by their success, got a little cocky and raised the price of their pizza to $6. They quickly regretted their decision as the demand for their pizza quickly fell. Papa Johns and Pizza Hut continued to be stable, and Domino’s regained in popularity, but Little Caesars was forced to drop their price back to $5. So now, because of competition, instead of having 3 pizza options for $10 each, I now have 2 for $5 and 2 for $10. The consumer always wins when people compete for their business.
A lack of competition is usually generated by the government, and it also usually hurts the consumer. Take my pizza situation for an example. Put the government in control of the market for pizza. If any competition like Little Caesars would arise, the government would create legislation against the company so there would be no opportunity for competition. This is a bad thing because then there is no incentive for the government to lower prices on any of their goods. Thus the customer loses and there is nothing they can do about it.
However, there are casualties of a free market. Because it is a free market, there is a possibility of failure. Companies can go out of business at any point in time if they can’t compete or run out of money. But this country was founded on the American dream, which gives you the freedom to succeed (or fail) at whatever you want to do. Although business can be cutthroat, it is worth the risk for the vast number of American and foreign consumers.
It is important to have competition in a democratic society like America because of the importance of a free market. The risk of loss of income and possibility of failure are just things that have to be accepted as a piece of a free society and country.

Social Me #2

It is usually assumed that an introvert is a person that is really quiet and antisocial. This is not the case. The most talkative person you know could be an introvert. An introvert is someone who would rather stay at home by himself or herself than go out with friends. This can be for a multitude of reasons including uncomfortable feelings around others, previous experience with bullying or verbal abuse, or even physical exhaustion. True introverts can be very cautious and are self-conscious about themselves, so they seclude themselves and remain alone.
One main reason that some people prefer to be alone is that it keeps them away from the judgment of others. Peers can hurt a person deeply, especially during the teenage years. When others do not accept you, it hurts, and being criticized by your friends can affect your life in powerful ways. When one is alone, there is no possibility of being turned down or criticized as there is nobody else around. Although this doesn’t create an opportunity for making friends, sometimes the fear of rejection can override the possibility of succeeding, no matter what the situation is.
Previous verbal or physical abuse can also make someone avoid others and spend time alone. For example, if a child has been bullied at a previous school for the pat few years and then moves to a new school, he will most likely take more time to warm to a new environment than another new student who was well-liked and welcome at his old school. The kid who was bullied most likely has lost trust for kids his age because of the abuse he has taken at his old school. This doesn’t mean he is a lost cause; trust can always be rebuilt, but it will take a much longer time for him to build solid relationships.
However, it’s not always a major issue that makes people want to be alone. Some days are good, and some days are bad, and I know that when I’ve had a bad day, I don’t always want to be a social butterfly. Every day comes with it’s own challenges, and sometimes people find that the easiest way to deal with problems is to tackle them alone. Daily life is tough, and sometimes it is best fought alone.
To understand the benefits of being alone, one must have an understanding of what it’s like interacting in a group and what some of the disadvantages of being with people are. In a high school situation, there are all kinds of things one has to watch out for in a conversation. If you say something wrong or offensive that makes someone else angry, then you will still have to deal with this person for the rest of your high school life. There is tons of pressure put on you to communicate well, and sometimes it’s a good idea to spend a little time alone.
There are advantages and disadvantages to being with others, as well as advantages and disadvantages to being alone. It is probably best to have a mix of both to try to get the best of both worlds, but whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, it is obviously better to lean towards what you are comfortable doing.

Freedom vs. Survival

#1
Freedom and Survival can sometimes go hand and hand. The United States in general allows people the freedom to do what they want to do and does not have any constant major security threats. However, there are times when one must choose between freedom and survival, and for me, the choice is clear. It is just plain dumb to choose to fight for freedom rather than guarantee yourself survival. Risking your life for a cause is very brave, but when you can just as easily surrender and be guaranteed life, fighting is just a waste.
Death is the biggest fear of the majority of the people in the world, mostly because of the uncertainty death brings. Depending on what a person’s beliefs are, he/she might believe that there is life beyond death and that God will grant them eternal life. But no matter what happens when one dies, it is never a good thing for the family and friends who are left behind. To even think about willingly giving up your life no matter what the reason is shows a lack of respect for your loved ones. What if you lose? What if your death does not affect the course of things and your family still loses their freedom? They could even be killed because of what you did. Death also puts a big stopper in your helpfulness to the community. It is very difficult to help others with their problems if you are dead. Living creates the opportunity to do more good for the world and gives people the chance to try to improve their situation and the situations of others around them without the loss of life. No matter what the afterlife may bring, your death does not help the people still living and can really hurt those you love.
However, I do realize that there is an upside to risking lives for freedom. Take for example the American Revolution. If George Washington, Alexander Hamilton and co. had decided to take abuse from the British so they would ensure their survival, we would not be the country we are today. Martin Luther King Jr. lost his life while creating social change to make sure that “All men are created equal” really meant what it said. But If General Washington had decided to look at the position he was in, considered the probability of success, and made a rational decision; he would have laughed at himself for even thinking of leading an army in a revolution against Britain. In most cases of freedom versus survival, the odds are so overwhelmingly against you that fighting is just silly, but that slim chance of success drives individuals to fight. The American made an incredibly high risk move that I wouldn’t recommend to anyone, and it happened to work out for the best.
As I have said, the risk of fighting for freedom almost always outweighs the reward. Being cautious doesn’t always create an Oscar winning movie, but it also will never create an obituary. And as the old saying goes, if you give up and run away, at least you live another day.

Vincent

Imagine being in a world where you struggle to do things others consider routine and simple. You can’t learn like others can, can’t communicate well with your friends and family, and totally depend on others to feed you and take car of you. And to top it all off, you have a job that you hate. That’s exactly how Vincent felt when he quit his job at Concord Support Services. He was tired of the tedious work that he was required to do at his job, which is something that anyone could easily feel. However, due to his disability, he was unable to clearly communicate that he had no desire to continue doing what he was doing. The thing that struck me the most was how Vinnie, someone who is treated and looked at as different, felt about the situation he was in. Nothing was different about his boredom that came as the result of an unchallenging workload. Nothing was different about his nervous reunion with his coworkers, where he felt uncomfortable and insecure. Before I read this story, I never really had much exposure to Down syndrome and other such diseases. Because I had never had direct contact with someone who had such a debilitating disease, I had a closed minded view of how to interact with such a person. I thought they were just like children and should be treated as such. But when I saw how frustrated Vinnie was when he was talked to as a child, I realized that each individual person has his or her individual needs and should be treated with respect, no matter how disabled they are.

When listening to this story, I looked at the way Vincent made decisions. Emotions played a large part in Vinnie’s decisions throughout the story. His intellect was not at a level that could be used to help him with decision-making, so he relied almost totally on how he felt. In the situation he was in, he quit his job because he hated it. If I were to make that kind of decision, I would have to take into consideration how I would make money, what I would do to replace this, and what my friends and family would think. Knowing the consequences of one’s actions can further complicate the issue, and many times, the emotions involved in the decision are ignored. Vinnie took no consideration of what the consequences would be, like a small child. This is one of the reasons people with Down syndrome or Vincent’s are treated like children no matter how old they are. However, in Vinnie’s case, he was aware that he was an adult, but he knew that people were treating him like a little kid. When he caught his mom and sister talking about him behind his back, he was very upset because in my opinion, he didn’t feel he was getting the respect he deserved.

People with disabilities, whether mental or physical, are treated differently than “normal” people. This is good to an extent, as people with disabilities can’t function without the support of others. However, nobody wants to be thought of as being a “degenerate” or “retard.” Although they don’t always get it, people with disabilities deserve respect and should be thought of not as a disabled person, but as a human.