One of the problems I see often in society today is apathy. In fact I am sitting in class right now listening to people complain about an assignment instead of just doing it. They are supposed to be answering 9 questions about literature I read and discussed with them, gave notes on, and showed a video about. Now they are whining about doing their "own" work although they are permitted help from me or a classmate.
In the past few weeks, I have watched my students abuse work time in various classes to just visit or to brag about low scores, or how funny it is when people are "losers."
It reminds me a lot of Bigger in Native Son because he seems trapped by his environment. He could change himself at any time or even leave his environment, but it is easier for him to just keep doing the same old thing every day--it makes him feel popular and powerful, but will only lead him to crime.
In Handmaid's Tale, many of the handmaids are surprised that Offred would even question that things should be different. The handmaids don't question their environment and they don't question the government. As the men are in control, the women stop questioning and don't even care to assert themselves. This may be part of Atwell's intent.
In Catcher in the Rye, Salinger shows us the danger of a student who no longer cares. Holden choses to fail. He will write assignments for other people, but he will purposely fail in life on purpose. I truly fear this may be becoming reality right now. Lower attendance is becoming the norm at football games and it seems to create an illusion of "power" to fail to choose and to fail to act. I also see many students who control their parents instead of the other way around.
In Night by Wiesel, all choices are taken away. People become apathetic to other people. The Nazis decide who lives and who dies as though the Jews and political prisoners are animals. Later in the book, Elie himself becomes apathetic towards even God.
I agree that people usually do not care about what they are doing in school. Even if people do care, sometimes they try to act like they don't if front of their friends because it's not "cool". I think the examples from the books helped to show that this is not only a problem in our school, but everywhere, and something needs to be done about it.
I completely agree with this post. I don't understand why people feel the need to be cool instead of getting what they know they have to get done, done. Homework is homework, life is life, sometimes things don't change, and one of them is school/homework.
I agree with this post. I think that some people just don't really care about anything in their life that is not "important" enough for them. In Night by Wiesel, when Elie's father started to get sick Elie started to think what his life would be like if his father died. Elie thought his life would be great because he wouldn't have to take care of his father anymore. That wasn't even a big task that he had to do. His father was old and he obviously would need help to survive in a concentration camp. However Elie thought of his father as a burdon. I think that some people today are similar, some worse, than Elie. They think that if they got rid of all of their "burdons" then their life would be so great. So a lot of people chose not to do the things that are "burdons" to them. People have started to become lasy in some of the most important things in their lives, such as school and jobs. We need to start working harder and make our lives more successful. You only live once, and too many people are taking it for granted.
Well I can definitely say that I don't brag about low scores of any kind. I didn't read Native Son but when I was speaking to some college students they said that during their senior year they took classes that would allow them to relax and they spent most of their time goofing off because the majority of their friends were doing the same. They went on to tell me that they later regretted it but there was nothing that they could do about it now. They advised me to not relax in my studies because it wouldn't benefit me in the long run. I agree that to many people are complaining about doing the work the teachers assign. It would be so much easier just to do the work and get it over with. I complain too sometimes but I still do my work weather I like it or not. I'll always try to do my work to the best of my abilities. Some times complaining just makes me fell better, but I never use laziness as an excuse not to do my work.
I agree that the students now are very laid back, and dont do their work right away but they wait until right before it is due. This is begining to be a big problem in school right now. Some seniors just take really easy classes, to get good grades and have an easy year. These people could change their behavior any time they wanted, but they continue to do whatever they want. I'm guessing that they will regret this when it comes to college, because they will not be ready.
I think we have more problems than we let ourselves face. In the book Night the entire Jewish nation was pretty much taken out, but us Americans didn't think there was anything going on over there. Its much like Darfur (sp?) right now. We pretend it isn't really happening for our own convenience.
I was just chatting with a current student in college. He described how A students are like C students in college.
It is all about hard work. Hard work in life equals hard work in life--period.
The idea of a parent being a burden is probably too acceptable today. It is sad that Elie had to feel that way just to survive. I couldn't leave a relative like he had to.
Bigger was the complete opposite. He was very selfish and really didn't give a crap. In fact, he didn't know what he was missing until he worked for the "white" people.
Holden carries a HUGE burden but only he can lift it from himself. He treats life like one big party--but he calls everyone else a phony (fake person) but is Holden really allowing his true person to show through?
Society in The Handmaid's Tale change drastically just because of a general societal problem. They (whoever the authorities were) thought that the general people's rights were being jepardized by other's not-so-good actions. Things like smoking, divorce, promiscuity, and single parents were completely frowned upon and eventually disposed of simply because it wasn't considered "right" and what they crudely called "godly". In my opinion, it was completly sick how they used God in their "rightousness" and I never ever want to see such a sweaty, gross thing take place in society.
Do we as a society do this to people now? Like with homosexuality or people who are illegal aliens or any other group that may be considered a minority?
It makes me mad when people dislike someone just because they are homosexual or just different in some way. That hits home for me, for reasons that you all would know... if you knew who this sweaty person was.......
13 comments:
One of the problems I see often in society today is apathy. In fact I am sitting in class right now listening to people complain about an assignment instead of just doing it. They are supposed to be answering 9 questions about literature I read and discussed with them, gave notes on, and showed a video about. Now they are whining about doing their "own" work although they are permitted help from me or a classmate.
In the past few weeks, I have watched my students abuse work time in various classes to just visit or to brag about low scores, or how funny it is when people are "losers."
It reminds me a lot of Bigger in Native Son because he seems trapped by his environment. He could change himself at any time or even leave his environment, but it is easier for him to just keep doing the same old thing every day--it makes him feel popular and powerful, but will only lead him to crime.
In Handmaid's Tale, many of the handmaids are surprised that Offred would even question that things should be different. The handmaids don't question their environment and they don't question the government. As the men are in control, the women stop questioning and don't even care to assert themselves. This may be part of Atwell's intent.
In Catcher in the Rye, Salinger shows us the danger of a student who no longer cares. Holden choses to fail. He will write assignments for other people, but he will purposely fail in life on purpose. I truly fear this may be becoming reality right now. Lower attendance is becoming the norm at football games and it seems to create an illusion of "power" to fail to choose and to fail to act. I also see many students who control their parents instead of the other way around.
In Night by Wiesel, all choices are taken away. People become apathetic to other people. The Nazis decide who lives and who dies as though the Jews and political prisoners are animals. Later in the book, Elie himself becomes apathetic towards even God.
I agree that people usually do not care about what they are doing in school. Even if people do care, sometimes they try to act like they don't if front of their friends because it's not "cool". I think the examples from the books helped to show that this is not only a problem in our school, but everywhere, and something needs to be done about it.
Posted by "billy is my friend"
I completely agree with this post. I don't understand why people feel the need to be cool instead of getting what they know they have to get done, done. Homework is homework, life is life, sometimes things don't change, and one of them is school/homework.
I agree with this post. I think that some people just don't really care about anything in their life that is not "important" enough for them. In Night by Wiesel, when Elie's father started to get sick Elie started to think what his life would be like if his father died. Elie thought his life would be great because he wouldn't have to take care of his father anymore. That wasn't even a big task that he had to do. His father was old and he obviously would need help to survive in a concentration camp. However Elie thought of his father as a burdon. I think that some people today are similar, some worse, than Elie. They think that if they got rid of all of their "burdons" then their life would be so great. So a lot of people chose not to do the things that are "burdons" to them. People have started to become lasy in some of the most important things in their lives, such as school and jobs. We need to start working harder and make our lives more successful. You only live once, and too many people are taking it for granted.
Well I can definitely say that I don't brag about low scores of any kind. I didn't read Native Son but when I was speaking to some college students they said that during their senior year they took classes that would allow them to relax and they spent most of their time goofing off because the majority of their friends were doing the same. They went on to tell me that they later regretted it but there was nothing that they could do about it now. They advised me to not relax in my studies because it wouldn't benefit me in the long run. I agree that to many people are complaining about doing the work the teachers assign. It would be so much easier just to do the work and get it over with. I complain too sometimes but I still do my work weather I like it or not. I'll always try to do my work to the best of my abilities. Some times complaining just makes me fell better, but I never use laziness as an excuse not to do my work.
Posted by "I never brag"
I agree that the students now are very laid back, and dont do their work right away but they wait until right before it is due. This is begining to be a big problem in school right now. Some seniors just take really easy classes, to get good grades and have an easy year. These people could change their behavior any time they wanted, but they continue to do whatever they want. I'm guessing that they will regret this when it comes to college, because they will not be ready.
I think we have more problems than we let ourselves face. In the book Night the entire Jewish nation was pretty much taken out, but us Americans didn't think there was anything going on over there. Its much like Darfur (sp?) right now. We pretend it isn't really happening for our own convenience.
Good comments about the lazy senior year idea.
I was just chatting with a current student in college. He described how A students are like C students in college.
It is all about hard work. Hard work in life equals hard work in life--period.
The idea of a parent being a burden is probably too acceptable today. It is sad that Elie had to feel that way just to survive. I couldn't leave a relative like he had to.
Bigger was the complete opposite. He was very selfish and really didn't give a crap. In fact, he didn't know what he was missing until he worked for the "white" people.
Holden carries a HUGE burden but only he can lift it from himself. He treats life like one big party--but he calls everyone else a phony (fake person) but is Holden really allowing his true person to show through?
Society in The Handmaid's Tale change drastically just because of a general societal problem. They (whoever the authorities were) thought that the general people's rights were being jepardized by other's not-so-good actions. Things like smoking, divorce, promiscuity, and single parents were completely frowned upon and eventually disposed of simply because it wasn't considered "right" and what they crudely called "godly". In my opinion, it was completly sick how they used God in their "rightousness" and I never ever want to see such a sweaty, gross thing take place in society.
Do we as a society do this to people now? Like with homosexuality or people who are illegal aliens or any other group that may be considered a minority?
Yes, we do, and that is exactly why I think these stories all hit home and bother us so much.
It makes me mad when people dislike someone just because they are homosexual or just different in some way. That hits home for me, for reasons that you all would know... if you knew who this sweaty person was.......
But yeah.
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