The site This I Believe is a site in where people are able to express what they believe in.
This first This I Believe is by Wade Rathke titled, Listening Shows me the Way. It was about how Mr. Rathke learned to listen first before knowing what to do. Rathke is an organizer and activist. He's been one since he was a teenager. The reasons behind this is because of the passion and anger and fear of things that are going on around him. But before putting anything into action, he must first listen to what people need and what they want, so he can know what everyone wants. I agree with him. I'm like him in many ways. I want change in this world. A kind of change that will help people with their lives and make things better. I also believe that we all must listen in order to know things. "Listening strengthens all of our beliefs." ~Rathke
This second one is written by Ivory Harlow called, Peace Begins with One Person. She talks about working at a diner in Texas and how small actions of kindness can lead to peace around the world. She talks about how people come into her diner to have some way of connecting with other people there. She believes that her smiles and listening, actually listening, to how people are and how their days were will make the world a better place. Well, there is one thing I can say about this. And that is that this is what I totally believe in too. Of course I believe in many things but this has got to be at the top of the list somewhere. This kind of reminds me of what I said about Singer's solution to World Poverty. Every action, whether it be small or large, will have an affect on the world. I believe that everything big started with something small. Giving out smiles to people passing by will somehow have an affect on them. This world was made for everyone. It's time we lived by that. "We're in this world to take care of each other." ~Harlow
The third This I Believe is Temple Grandin's Seeing in Beautiful, Precise Pictures. Whenever Grandin thinks, all she sees is pictures, and doesn't think through abstract thoughts. This is because she has autism. She believes in her ability to see these beautiful and precise pictures. She also is able to synthesize a lot of information and create systems out of it. She believes in herself and her own gifts. I don't know if her essay was also meant to show that everyone should be proud of who they are and should not be ashamed of themselves, but that is what I saw when i listened to her talk. Her compassion for what she sees and the way she thinks may have something to do with her autism, but it's the way that you take what is given to you that really matters. The way that she took her autism, I think, is the real thing in which she is showing what she believes in. You should never be afraid of who you are, it really doesn't matter who you are. All that matters is the way that you accept yourself and how you are willing to live with yourself. "Some people might think if I could snap my fingers I'd choose to be "normal." But I wouldn't want to give up my ability to see in beautiful, precise pictures." ~Grandid.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Monday, January 29, 2007
A Poem
It Comes With It
Hate, fear, sadness, sorrow
these feelings come
to haunt and to pry
about things that you want
and things that you can't have
until you fall under defeat of them
ya, they come with it.
Secrets, lies, drama
lying inside of you
slowly creeping out
infecting everyone and everything
or, covered under fooling everyone
only being able to let see what you want
ya, they come with it.
Reaching, hoping, and waiting
for something that may never come
never get
but for why
to retain something that was lost
something that's not there
nope, never give up
ya, they come with it.
Love
and all the pains that come with it
all of the happiness
and all of the wishing and shutdowns
all of the wishing and getting
it's a horrible thing
it's a perfect thing
ya, that comes with it.
Smiles, laughs, joy
good times
that turn into memories
living life to the fullest, living it up
family
friends
especially those
ya, they come with it.
Hate, fear, sadness, sorrow
these feelings come
to haunt and to pry
about things that you want
and things that you can't have
until you fall under defeat of them
ya, they come with it.
Secrets, lies, drama
lying inside of you
slowly creeping out
infecting everyone and everything
or, covered under fooling everyone
only being able to let see what you want
ya, they come with it.
Reaching, hoping, and waiting
for something that may never come
never get
but for why
to retain something that was lost
something that's not there
nope, never give up
ya, they come with it.
Love
and all the pains that come with it
all of the happiness
and all of the wishing and shutdowns
all of the wishing and getting
it's a horrible thing
it's a perfect thing
ya, that comes with it.
Smiles, laughs, joy
good times
that turn into memories
living life to the fullest, living it up
family
friends
especially those
ya, they come with it.
This wasn't too good but o well.
yourself
These are just quotes. Sorry I don't know who they are by.
"The truth will not change just because we cannot stomach it."
"The hardest battle you are ever going to have to fight is the battle to just be yourself."
"Nothing in life is so hard that you can't make it easier by the way you take it."
"The truth will not change just because we cannot stomach it."
"The hardest battle you are ever going to have to fight is the battle to just be yourself."
"Nothing in life is so hard that you can't make it easier by the way you take it."
Sunday, January 28, 2007
friendship
Yesterday I found out how much friendship really means. Well, you basically need friends in your life. Well, i guess you don't need friends, like i guess some people don't need friends. But most people would. Like I would. Because say your friend was suicidal, and she/he didn't have anyone to go to or to persuade them not to do that. Then they would most likely die. But if that person had a friend then that person would have a chance. I don't know. I'm just saying that friendship is like one of the MOST important things on earth or in life or whatever. It's just important.
I don't know. But I have a quote that would kind of explain friendship. Like what friendship is to life. "Sometimes our light goes out but is blown into flame by another human being. Each of us owes deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this light."
I don't know. But I have a quote that would kind of explain friendship. Like what friendship is to life. "Sometimes our light goes out but is blown into flame by another human being. Each of us owes deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this light."
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Four Generations Reflection
This film made me believe that anything can happen if you just make it happen yourself. This short film was about a man that bought a water buffalo and gave it to a poor family in China. He got the money from a man that said in his blog, that if someone donated $250 then he could buy a water buffalo and give it to a family, but he was saying it as a thing that could happen, not would. Well, this man, Robert Thompson, made it happen. He turned words into actions. I don't know, but for some reason, this gave me a feeling of hope. Hope for the world and everyone in it.
In Peter Singer's essay, The Singer Solution to World Poverty, he writes a lot about how, in order to be morally correct, people have to give all of their extra money to poor children around the world instead of using it yourself. This essay was similar to the film in a way in which things can happen and if money is donated, that money really could save a child, or even a family. In Singer's essay he also said that it really wouldn't hurt to give $200 to an overseas organization. This amount is almost the same as the water buffalo. So, this $200 really could help to save people. But, Singer also said that why can't you give even more than that? And that is true. If $200 can save a family's life, imagine what all that extra cash that you don't need would do to the world and everyone in it. I guess my view on Mr. Singer's essay, compared to my other post, has changed but things change in this world, and this is one of those things. But really, all I'm saying is just think about what can happen, and what a difference you really can make in this world, just by donating all that extra money that you don't need. Or you don't even have to donate all of your extra money, just $200 (or perhaps more would be even better). You could actually save people. It's just a matter of donating and making it happen. I'm not saying that you actually have to go out and buy a water buffalo and give it to a family in China, there are people who would do that for you, I'm just saying to make that first step by giving. It may not seem like you've done anything, by just giving money to some organization that you've hardly heard of, but in actuality something has been done. You've just saved lives by giving. I mean, who can't say that saving your own life is a great thing, but saving someone else's life? Now that's the greatest.
In Peter Singer's essay, The Singer Solution to World Poverty, he writes a lot about how, in order to be morally correct, people have to give all of their extra money to poor children around the world instead of using it yourself. This essay was similar to the film in a way in which things can happen and if money is donated, that money really could save a child, or even a family. In Singer's essay he also said that it really wouldn't hurt to give $200 to an overseas organization. This amount is almost the same as the water buffalo. So, this $200 really could help to save people. But, Singer also said that why can't you give even more than that? And that is true. If $200 can save a family's life, imagine what all that extra cash that you don't need would do to the world and everyone in it. I guess my view on Mr. Singer's essay, compared to my other post, has changed but things change in this world, and this is one of those things. But really, all I'm saying is just think about what can happen, and what a difference you really can make in this world, just by donating all that extra money that you don't need. Or you don't even have to donate all of your extra money, just $200 (or perhaps more would be even better). You could actually save people. It's just a matter of donating and making it happen. I'm not saying that you actually have to go out and buy a water buffalo and give it to a family in China, there are people who would do that for you, I'm just saying to make that first step by giving. It may not seem like you've done anything, by just giving money to some organization that you've hardly heard of, but in actuality something has been done. You've just saved lives by giving. I mean, who can't say that saving your own life is a great thing, but saving someone else's life? Now that's the greatest.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
reflecting upon Singer's solution
After reading The Singer Solution to World Poverty, well...it was interesting. First of all, he talks about morals and what a lady and a man did. The lady put a boy's life in danger when she meant well for him, supposedly. And the man allowed a boy to die when he could have prevented it. But he didn't because he didn't want his car to be destroyed. Singer says that everyone who does things that Bob, the man, did are morally wrong. And he also says that everyone in the United States should be giving their annual income-$30000 to overseas aid agencies. Or was he saying to give $200? I don't really know and don't really care. The main point is that Singer is saying that everyone who doesn't give money is morally wrong and they are exactly the same as Bob. Everyone is able to save a child's life just by giving money but the majority of people don' t and that is what Singer is saying. This is the only way to live a morally decent life, "not because it is good to wallow in guilt but because knowing where we should be going is the first step towards heading in that direction"(4). He wants everyone to know that every fancy meal we eat and every TV set we get and every set of clothes we buy, the money could go to saving a child's life. But, instead we're spending the money on our own, personal luxury. So, to sum it all up, Singer says that we have to give money or else our life wouldn't be morally correct and that every good thing that we purchase and enjoy, all that money could just go to saving a child's(or more) life.
But, now I say this. If everyone was to be equal in this world, where everyone had the same amount of money...well no. No. Because that wouldn't happen. The world has never and will never be fair. It will never be equal. There will always be people who want more power than others and who will want everything for themselves. There will always be people where the 7 deadly sins are inhabited in them. so, now, what I am saying is, sure you can give money to people to make their lives better, and sure you can always feel selfish and sorry whenever you go out to eat, but you can still never do enough. What are you trying to accomplish? Making the world equal? You will never be able to do that. I am not saying to not give money. OF COURSE YOU SHOULD. All I'm saying is that if you give then you give. If you feel bad for people and give and know that you are making a difference then that's all that really counts. It's the feeling of caring that counts in this world. A feeling of hope for other's lives that pushes us to wherever or whatever we may go or do. This is what drives us, hope. Although this hope thing doesn't really connect to what Mr. Singer was saying before, or maybe...I don't know. Funny where things bring us.
But, now I say this. If everyone was to be equal in this world, where everyone had the same amount of money...well no. No. Because that wouldn't happen. The world has never and will never be fair. It will never be equal. There will always be people who want more power than others and who will want everything for themselves. There will always be people where the 7 deadly sins are inhabited in them. so, now, what I am saying is, sure you can give money to people to make their lives better, and sure you can always feel selfish and sorry whenever you go out to eat, but you can still never do enough. What are you trying to accomplish? Making the world equal? You will never be able to do that. I am not saying to not give money. OF COURSE YOU SHOULD. All I'm saying is that if you give then you give. If you feel bad for people and give and know that you are making a difference then that's all that really counts. It's the feeling of caring that counts in this world. A feeling of hope for other's lives that pushes us to wherever or whatever we may go or do. This is what drives us, hope. Although this hope thing doesn't really connect to what Mr. Singer was saying before, or maybe...I don't know. Funny where things bring us.
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