A Suggestion, If Anything, Has More Power Than __________. | Teen Ink

A Suggestion, If Anything, Has More Power Than __________.

May 11, 2013
By shesanoddduck BRONZE, Fairfield, Connecticut
shesanoddduck BRONZE, Fairfield, Connecticut
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The power of imagination makes us infinite." -John Muir


Nowadays, it seems like everyone is looking for answers- the meaning of life, the dispute between randomness and karma, why your kid can’t get his/her grades up. But by the time most people reach adulthood, they’ve already fabricated opinions on such matters, whether they are positive, negative, or contradictory.

I consider myself to be a realist with a devout belief in science, but that’s for another day. What matters is that I’m able to express my opinions freely, without discrimination. I guess that’s why everyone acts arrogant to some degree in the United States, with all of our rights and freedoms.

The only problem with that is human nature- we’ve evolved to judge others based on how their opinions compare with ours, from fashion sense to political preference. The amazing thing is that we’re so skilled at this, we don’t even realize we’re doing it. Most people out there claim to be 100% accepting of others, but no one really is. Why? Because our life experiences help shape our personalities, and we unconsciously use these opinions to choose, to naturally select, if you will. I’m constantly guilty of silently judging others, although I never realize it when it happens.

Here’s where the title starts to make sense: I’ve got a suggestion for society- for the world, really. Because we can’t control our opinions or situations, we should abolish the idea of mmajority rule- because that doesn’t include everyone, now does it? Instead, we should begin to raise future generations with the idea of understanding in mind. Some parents stress this more than others, but I believe that all kids should be aware of all situations starting from childhood. In addition to the typical core classes, a psychology teacher can follow a curriculum of understanding, informing the undeveloped youth of how and why the world is the way it is. By the time these kids reach adulthood, they can go out into the world with less discrimination; it can never be eradicated completely due to human instinct to rebel, to be angry, to feel emotion. There’s only so much that can be done for humans to understand, but that’s the beauty of human nature and opinions- they make us who we are. Not a well-oiled machine, not a clock made of billions of cogs- individuals.

I know that my opinions probably won’t get very far, but I hope that it sparks a sense of excitement from those whom I share it with. It’s very rare that a teenage girl can change the way everything works- heck, it’s nearly impossible. That’s why I love the human mind, though- because a suggestion, once heard, never really leaves. It can expand, change, become more elaborate. So, I can only hope that this sparked your interest, because a suggestion can be as powerful as whatever moves you the most. So now, I wave adieu to the thoughts of mmajority rule, and wish that I can live to see the day where the individual is just as important as the community, because everyone is different, and every single person matters.


The author's comments:
I wrote this when my english class was learning about the horrors of dystopian societies, and my teacher asked us if we were living in a dystopia. My class opted to be silent, but that question got my brain reeling, and I typed down my opinions and suggestions later that night.

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