Here we go again. It seems that everytime a new year begins, everyone tries to change themself in one way or another. This year, I want to become more knowledgable on everything. The standard is high, but the task is not too hard to accomplish.
Now, at first glance, even I am thinking there is no way to accomplish this resolution. When I say everything, I am really referring to becoming a more well-rounded individual who can talk on a subject without having to make stuff up. It seems the more someone tries to convince themself they know something, the less they actually know.
For instance, the presidential campaign of 2008. I knew straight up that Barack Obama was my guy. I was newly 18 and very thrilled to vote for the first time. I felt like a true American.
However, one night, while discussing the campaign with my mom, she asked my why I liked Barack. It was hard to come up with an answer. I had never thought about it. I knew what the issues were, and I knew what side I was taking on them, but I had never stopped to figure out what position Obama was on the same issues.
Society has taken a position where, as my Communications instructor Robert Walsh would put it, "we look down on people who are intelligent. Since when is it a bad thing to be smart. I find that ridiculous!" This is true! As people, we are all guilty of trying to act smart, but in reality, we are no smarter than the kindergarten students sitting in our classrooms.
I worked at a daycare and on November 4, after I had finished voting, I had to go to work. I had a van full of kids who were all telling me how excited they were to vote for the first time too. I asked them who they voted for, and all but three kids cheered out McCain. John McCain had won the election at Jefferson Elementary School. That is when the kids began to tell me about the issues and how McCain was going to fix our country.
I was shocked! At this moment, I made the deal with myself that I would become more informed. Since then, I have been consistently visiting sites such as CNN and New Yorks Times to keep up on the information circulating around us. Even trips to the Internet Movie Database can help; it may be entertainment news, but it's news.
Okay, well I guess I will finish it up now. I was thinking a blog would be so hard to write, but this was relatively easy. I am really looking forward to the semester with my class, and hope to learn alot about all of you!
Until next time....
-
Kyle-
ReplyDeleteIt's good to have resolutions, and yours seems like a great one! As to what you said about the presidential campaign...I think a lot of people were in the position you were--that they were not entirely informed. I know I was; I started to really watch the news more towards the end of the campaign. I'm glad to hear that you have decided to become more informed because, I think if one isn't, s/he shouldn't even vote.
I was also excited to vote for the president of my country for the first time, and I found it thrilling to learn all about politics again, and this time find a passion behind it all.
I could not agree more with wanting to become a well rounded individual! I do not feel this way because of certain situations where I did not know what everyone was talking about, but rather because I feel that knowledge is incredibly important and that many of us take it for granted. Robert Walsh said the exact same comment to our speech class, and I think it is completely true. People are embarrassed to be smart. I am in a difficult spot myself with politics. I found myself wanting to learn about the U.S. election, but I could not vote so my opinions did not really count for much. I was not around for the Canadian election, so once again I did not get to “make my voice heard” so to speak, through voting.
ReplyDeleteI thought you had an awesome topic for your first blog. This was such and important election and I felt that it was crucial to do research on the issues and where each canidate stood. I remember when debates were on in the summer of 2007 and that is when I first got interested in the election. Good post!
ReplyDeleteHey Kyle,
ReplyDeleteI always think it is a great idea to be more knowledgeable on a subject. I have noticed that people will hear a “fact” and then spread this same information around without ever doing the research on it. This is never more noticeable than at election time. With all the mudslinging and leaking of faulty information it is important to do as much cross-reference research as possible to weed out the truth and what people want you to think is the truth. So, good for you! I have no doubt you will continue to try and better yourself and will not be so naively led into believing or thinking something that you have not properly researched yourself.
Hi Kyle,
ReplyDeleteIt is nice to hear that you want expand your knowledge and become the person you envision. It is amazing when you discover that you could know more, become more and help more.
I am not sure if you have ever read any books by Jack Canfield – he writes the Chicken Soup for the Soul books. One book that I found very helpful in helping me realize what I wanted to do, what was important to me and how to go about achieving it is his “The Success Principals” book.
The title also states “how to get from where you are to where you want to be.” The book is easy to read and has some very practical solutions to accomplishing ones goals. My husband meets with a group of men each week who discuss chapters and they keep each other on target.
Hope you like the book,
Brenda
Interestingly enough the topic of Hollywood was in the economic news this week. Glen Beck was astonished to see the film industry is asking for a bailout. His advice was that the industry should concentrate on making better films that would draw people to the box office versus asking for a handout.
ReplyDeleteIf you look back into 2008 one of the highest grossing films came from Disney – High School Musical. There was no cursing and the story line was typically Disney. Films that didn’t even make it to the box office include The Head and Saw 5. Perhaps the major studies should take a lesson from this – better films, less profanity and more story line.
In time of economic uncertainty many people want to be entertained yet with a positive message.