14 July 2006

I still remember the day when I realized I would never change the world.

Why the hell do kids think at a certain time in their lives that they will actually make a difference in the grander scheme of things? Jews and Muslims will continue to kill one another. Kids will continue to die of hunger in Africa, and there will continue to be castes in India.

Angstiness should be over with once one reaches 'almost-30'. I don't know why it continues. Jeez.
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3 comments:

Anonymous said...

My angst has long since been replaced with dread.

Don't worry, you'll get there too.

10:56 PM
The Whyzeman said...

Whoa. If everyone thought that they couldn't make a difference, then we'd still be starting fires using pinestraw and two stones.

1500 years ago we thought we were the center of the universe until one man proved that we weren't. 500 years ago, the world thought that the Earth was flat until one man proved otherwise.

Some of the universe's best kept secrets were unlocked by single individuals were weren't looking to change the world per se, but they definitely didn't slink away into the abyss giving up. We have people in our medical, legal, scientific, and law enforcement fields because they know they can make a difference.

Such pessimistic thoughts lead to vicious bouts of depression that can lead to other things. Trust me. I know. I spent a year of my life in the most dismal state of mind one can be in short of stagediving off of a cliff.

Don't ever think you can't make a difference. While you may not be the direct discoverer of the cure for AIDS, the one guy you gave directions to to get back to the Interstate may be and you're the one who helped him.

We all make a difference indirectly whether we know it or not, but to develop the mentality that one will never make a difference shortens one's view and take on life dramatically and it will be reflected on how they treat other people and how other people will treat them. I really hope the "I/you'll never make a difference" line isn't being constantly fed to our children. If so, the future is seriously bleak - and we can't blame Bush for it.

8:56 PM
Anonymous said...

Think of the ripples in a pond when a stone is thrown, to use an old cliche. But then, we teachers like old cliches, they tend to send the right message. :)

As whyzeman said the guy on the highway may be someone "important". But it goes even beyond that. Your life affects the lives of everyone around you for good or for ill -- and especially those who love you. Try to imagine the hole left without you and the effect is nonquantifiable.

To give some perspective and some melodrama...

For a period of time, nearly a decade ago, you had an immeasurable impact on my life. One might even say that we walked the line between sanity and insanity together. I am now a teacher and this summer I am working for an alternative certification program in NYC. I am in charge of nine advisors. These nine advisors each have roughly 25 newbie-teachers as their students. Each of these newbie-teachers will have anywhere from 25 to 150 elementary, intermediate, or high school students this coming year alone.

So by the ripple theory, you have indirectly impacted the lives of 5,875 to 35,150 of New York City's inner-city children for the school year 2006-2007 (including my students and the advisors students, that is).


Imagine how far the ripples go from there... :)

3:15 PM

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