Mood: Anxious
Music: Josh Joplin Group "Camera One"
I've quite a bit to say today, so it will be divided into categories.
Education
I have a major problem with the public school system in America. For the past three days my high school (rather appropriately dubbed "Ghetto High" by my Econ. instructor) has undergone the hell known as standardized testing. I believe standardized testing is appropriate to measure students against the rest of the country and world, in order to make sure our children are becoming properly educated, but the FCAT measures students again other Florida students. What is the point of that? Why are wasting our budget and cutting special programs (Gifted programs, several elementary schools, Old Hometown) to find out how Florida students compare to one another? Sorry Jeb, the FCAT is a foul pile of shit.
Furthermore, I maintain the public school system has destroyed thw thirst for knowldege. By mandating curriculum and directing students' interest towards specified classes, we are not allowing them the level of exploration they deserve. I love the learning process. New skills fascinate me, I love learning about history and poets and occasionally even about science, but I detest being forced into meaningless mind-numbing classes like Economics and Life Management Skills. Our school systems are in a sad state when they take bright, eager minds, and transform them into people with a wish to learn and a negative attitude towards school. Maybe I'm just very ready to leave. Must repeat mantra; only two more months, only two more months...
Platonic Friendships
This is as much of a myth as the Astronomy Tower being used for Astronomy. Helen Fielding touches upon this humourously in Bridget Jones's Diary (the pashmina convo), but the truth is, there is no such thing as a platonic friendship. I was discussing this with Lindsay (www.LindsayMyers.blogspot.com) today, and it's a basic Sociological fact. Men and women (and often, in same sex relationships as well) can not simply be friends. One or the other, or perhaps both want something more out of the relationship. This could simply be a reflection of our society, and how we are taught to view people as objects, but I think it runs deeper, to the basic human need for companionship. We are so isolated, we are desparately seeking companionship and love from almost everyone we meet. I don't understand why, but I think it's true, and I pray everyone gets the love they need.
Added note:
The reasoning behind this last was because I've been reading George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, and contemplating Eliza's relationship with Prof. Higgins. Now I personally always assumed they got married after the movie, but I was reading the Epilogue in my Lit. book, and it said if you really look at the last scene (and in the play this is true, in the movie, it is more ambiguous), Henry is proposing to live together with both of them becoming "confirmed old bachelors" and I found this rather difficult to accept because of my views about platonic relationships, etc
Prejudice
About six months ago, a friend of mine tried to start a Gay/Straight Alliance at my High School. Now, I have nothing against homosexuality, and have several friends who are gay, but this was not a good idea, as time showed. Besides getting a range of uninformative and biased publicity, a few people were beaten up and such for their sexual orientation. I think this is wrong, and is one of the biggest problems in today's society. I believe in tolerence. Now, I'm not saying everyone should be allowed to do whatever they want, because that would obviously result in chaos, but I think everyone needs to be a little more open minded. During this whole GSA fiasco, my Sr. Gov't class was divided up and I, along with several others, was placed in a Freshman Geography class which was debating the aforesaid club.
I was absolutely shocked at the things they said.
I'm not the most open minded or liberal person in the world, I'm actually rather conservative and prudish, but I couldn't believe the lack of compassion coming from these kids.
Now, I've used homosexuality as an example, but here's my real point. If our teenagers, who sociologically and psychologically are the most likely to be open minded, are already biased and mean spirited, what will they be like when they get older? It's a proven fact that people become more conservative and unwilling to change as they age, and these 14 and 15 year old kids were unwilling to even listen to other peoples viewpoints. I find that sad. I think we should all pray for (or if you aren't a practicing anything, just work towards it) peace and understanding.
Love
To quote Xena (it was so good the first three seasons, and then it started going downhill as the writers tried to incorporate more slashy subtext; they should have just left everything to progress as it would) I am in a love free zone. Not an inkling of romance anywhere on the horizon. And while I don't exactly begrudge people their little affairs, I reject being exposed to sappy Country love songs.
Today at Mass...
I was zoning in and out of the homily today because of my preoccupation with other things, but Fr. Dominic snapped me out of it when he started talking about how God does not want us judging anyone, and God does not want us to judge ourselves. As I go about my daily life, I constantly berate myself for one thing or another. I had a volleyball coach who once said she was there to tear us down, and we were there to build each other back up. I suppose I should let God judge me and simply accept that I fail, and I fall, and it will happen. So I think we should all take this lesson to heart; I will try to stop judging myself so much.
Okay, that's all for now, as an added note, I'm v. excited about the upcoming chapter of Rhysenn's Irresistable Poison, coming soon to the FA Underground (otherwise known as www.FictionAlley.org).
-Morgan
Music: Josh Joplin Group "Camera One"
I've quite a bit to say today, so it will be divided into categories.
Education
I have a major problem with the public school system in America. For the past three days my high school (rather appropriately dubbed "Ghetto High" by my Econ. instructor) has undergone the hell known as standardized testing. I believe standardized testing is appropriate to measure students against the rest of the country and world, in order to make sure our children are becoming properly educated, but the FCAT measures students again other Florida students. What is the point of that? Why are wasting our budget and cutting special programs (Gifted programs, several elementary schools, Old Hometown) to find out how Florida students compare to one another? Sorry Jeb, the FCAT is a foul pile of shit.
Furthermore, I maintain the public school system has destroyed thw thirst for knowldege. By mandating curriculum and directing students' interest towards specified classes, we are not allowing them the level of exploration they deserve. I love the learning process. New skills fascinate me, I love learning about history and poets and occasionally even about science, but I detest being forced into meaningless mind-numbing classes like Economics and Life Management Skills. Our school systems are in a sad state when they take bright, eager minds, and transform them into people with a wish to learn and a negative attitude towards school. Maybe I'm just very ready to leave. Must repeat mantra; only two more months, only two more months...
Platonic Friendships
This is as much of a myth as the Astronomy Tower being used for Astronomy. Helen Fielding touches upon this humourously in Bridget Jones's Diary (the pashmina convo), but the truth is, there is no such thing as a platonic friendship. I was discussing this with Lindsay (www.LindsayMyers.blogspot.com) today, and it's a basic Sociological fact. Men and women (and often, in same sex relationships as well) can not simply be friends. One or the other, or perhaps both want something more out of the relationship. This could simply be a reflection of our society, and how we are taught to view people as objects, but I think it runs deeper, to the basic human need for companionship. We are so isolated, we are desparately seeking companionship and love from almost everyone we meet. I don't understand why, but I think it's true, and I pray everyone gets the love they need.
Added note:
The reasoning behind this last was because I've been reading George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, and contemplating Eliza's relationship with Prof. Higgins. Now I personally always assumed they got married after the movie, but I was reading the Epilogue in my Lit. book, and it said if you really look at the last scene (and in the play this is true, in the movie, it is more ambiguous), Henry is proposing to live together with both of them becoming "confirmed old bachelors" and I found this rather difficult to accept because of my views about platonic relationships, etc
Prejudice
About six months ago, a friend of mine tried to start a Gay/Straight Alliance at my High School. Now, I have nothing against homosexuality, and have several friends who are gay, but this was not a good idea, as time showed. Besides getting a range of uninformative and biased publicity, a few people were beaten up and such for their sexual orientation. I think this is wrong, and is one of the biggest problems in today's society. I believe in tolerence. Now, I'm not saying everyone should be allowed to do whatever they want, because that would obviously result in chaos, but I think everyone needs to be a little more open minded. During this whole GSA fiasco, my Sr. Gov't class was divided up and I, along with several others, was placed in a Freshman Geography class which was debating the aforesaid club.
I was absolutely shocked at the things they said.
I'm not the most open minded or liberal person in the world, I'm actually rather conservative and prudish, but I couldn't believe the lack of compassion coming from these kids.
Now, I've used homosexuality as an example, but here's my real point. If our teenagers, who sociologically and psychologically are the most likely to be open minded, are already biased and mean spirited, what will they be like when they get older? It's a proven fact that people become more conservative and unwilling to change as they age, and these 14 and 15 year old kids were unwilling to even listen to other peoples viewpoints. I find that sad. I think we should all pray for (or if you aren't a practicing anything, just work towards it) peace and understanding.
Love
To quote Xena (it was so good the first three seasons, and then it started going downhill as the writers tried to incorporate more slashy subtext; they should have just left everything to progress as it would) I am in a love free zone. Not an inkling of romance anywhere on the horizon. And while I don't exactly begrudge people their little affairs, I reject being exposed to sappy Country love songs.
Today at Mass...
I was zoning in and out of the homily today because of my preoccupation with other things, but Fr. Dominic snapped me out of it when he started talking about how God does not want us judging anyone, and God does not want us to judge ourselves. As I go about my daily life, I constantly berate myself for one thing or another. I had a volleyball coach who once said she was there to tear us down, and we were there to build each other back up. I suppose I should let God judge me and simply accept that I fail, and I fall, and it will happen. So I think we should all take this lesson to heart; I will try to stop judging myself so much.
Okay, that's all for now, as an added note, I'm v. excited about the upcoming chapter of Rhysenn's Irresistable Poison, coming soon to the FA Underground (otherwise known as www.FictionAlley.org).
-Morgan
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