America's Dream or America's Greed

Family, happiness, success, and freedom: all are visions of the so called "American Dream".  People believed that through hard work and determination, anybody could achieve their goals no matter what racial or economic background they came from.  When James Truslow Adam first created the phrase in 1931, he mainly focused on the ideal that everyone has equal opportunities. This is what America was built upon; this is why so many immigrants embarked on the long journey overseas leaving everything they knew behind.  Yet, does this dream even exist anymore? We see throughout literature such as The Great Gatsby that many people believe that this vision has turned materialistic. In recent times, America's hopes have changed for the worst: consumerism has literally consumed the minds of the public. People focus on monetary gains and having a higher social status rather than the pure goals Americans had before.  Our dream is now associated with the white picket fence, a high-paying job, and a life full of luxury. It's ironic that the American Dream was originally a vision full of hard-work, yet now all people want is a shortcut to success.  Jay Gatsby does illegal business simply to strike rich and get Daisy; and he doesn't sweat a bit all the while.  People feel that in order to achieve their goals, they must attain high education which isn't always affordable to all.  Economic recessions and bad times have caused many Americans to gain a pessimistic perspective on society.  Is the American Dream really ingrained into this country, the land of opportunity, or is it simply romanticized? People want to believe that it still lives on, but does it really? Or is it just a hope that America's morals aren't lost forever?

A Modest Suggestion

    Want to do something fun today? Go to a restaurant! But be sure to make a reservation beforehand, even though that of course doesn't always mean you'll have a table held for you once you get there.  And after waiting an hour to get seated, why should you ever expect immediate service? Checking twitter and instagram is obviously more important than serving a customer.  Plus, you're not even hungry, so please let them take their time.  After another thirty minutes, it would of course be ridiculous of yourself to ask about the dishes on the menu.  I mean, how could you not have known that in order to dine here you must know exactly what a "tortano" is or a "shuizhu" is. Silly you! But no worries, next time you'll know to study precisely what each dish is comprised of and come prepared.  And now, after they've only taken another half an hour to get your meal (not long at all) you find that they mixed up your order. Don't worry! You completely understand, after all, it is your fault.  It's often hard to comprehend what you've repeated five times when you asked them, "to please substitute the meat with vegetables". You should have said it at least three more times, I mean what were you thinking? And when you finally get to the check, it's okay that they charged you for a meal you didn't order, you will pay for it anyways.  You know you're so grateful that that they provided you with such wonderful service; how could you have been so lucky? You'll be sure to tell all your friends about their amazing restaurant and especially their remarkable staff. What a great day!

A Measure of Technology

     Our environment is constantly changing around us; the way life was 50 years ago is certainly not how it is

today.  With the advancements in technology, and new discoveries in science, society has become much more fast-paced.  You see kids always on gaming devices, teens on their phones, and adults on their laptops.  Even in my own life I have expereinced this dramatic change in lifestyle.  My mom always said that technology made life easier, but also worse: there is a profound truth in this statement. Sure things are easier and faster to do now, yet society has also changed for the worst in some ways.  Rather than person-to-person communication, everyone prefers texting or messaging. Furthermore, many people are addicted to social media sites and rather than actually living their life, they are living behind the screen of their computer, iPhone, or android.  Networking and technology has become a major aspect of society that cannot be ignored.  For example, recently my android broke and I had to go back to using a phone made in 2010.  It was very simple with just the basic texting and calling features and I was so frustrated with it; however, after a while I realized how much more productive I was.  No more distractions: no snapchats, kik messages, or constant internet use.  I suddenly realized how much time I used to spend on my android, and when I look around, I just see a bunch of teenagers doing the exact same thing.  When I didn't have a smartphone, my life didn't revolve around a screen but instead I connected more with my family and friends. Now I'm not saying that technology doesn't have it's perks because I just got a new iPhone and it's definitely made some things a lot easier, but this experience just makes me wonder: is technology really making our lives better? Or worse?

    

The Puzzle of Child Labor

     Today, most children get to enjoy their childhood by playing with their friends with toys spanning from iPads to pink elephants; however, once upon a time, this wasn't the case.  As industrialization began to rapidly grow in America, companies would often hire children to slave over labor and machines for long hours with poor pay. These deprived kids never got the chance to enjoy their younger days, because instead of having fun they were miserable: they were forced to work 70 hour weeks in horrendous conditions.  Millions of children would desperately pray to Jesus every night to let them get through one more toiling, dreadful day.  As Florence Kelley says in her speech to the National American Woman Suffrage Association, they "will be working in textile mills, all the night through, in the deafening noise of spindles".  Kelley skillfully and cleverly utilizes rhetoric to persuade the audience to stop child labor by appealing to them logically and emotionally.  She states revolting facts and also makes everyone feel guilty for their recklessness by describing how these "little beasts of burden" are going through so much suffering to simply make goods that everyone else can enjoy. Luckily, child labor laws are now in effect to protect kids from ever experiencing those grueling days again. 

Are You Stereotyping?

     People stereotype each other all time, even when they don't know it.  Research proves that even those who proudly acclaim themselves as unbiased, often subconsciously hold very strong prejudices against others. Rather than outright showing it, their biases are shown through their non-verbal behavior such as expressions, eye contact, and how far they stand away others.  One experiment I found very interesting was when people were asked to determine whether a certain positive or negative adjective appropriately fit a person given only their name. These names were common white and black names and the results were very revealing: participants often responded quicker when a positive word was given to a white name and when a negative word was given to a black name.  Even African-American participants themselves demonstrated this common bias which just furthermore proves how stereotyping can affect people without even trying.  So what is the root cause of this problem? Society. Though we may not try to be prejudiced, we are exposed early on to the perspectives of others and the culture that surrounds us; and though we develop our own opinions as we age, these early interactions subconsciously affect our thinking.

     On Friday in my world history class, The Muslim Student Association held a presentation to discuss their culture and religion.  When it came time for questions, everyone had that one stereotypical question on their mind but we were all too hesitant to ask: "Are all Muslims terrorists?".  The speakers even knew what we were wondering and acknowledged it by answering the unspoken question in the very beginning.  They explained to us how a few Muslims twist their religious scriptures simply to suit their own missions of malevolence and then went on to say, "The actions of a few misguided individuals does not define the acts of an entire race".  This candid statement holds a very profound truth: we cannot let ourselves judge a whole race, gender, or religion based on only a few people.  Each individual holds their own, unique personality that we must respect.  Even if we cannot eradicate stereotyping completely, we can absolutely diminish it's negative affects by accepting the remarkable diversity that surrounds us.

Family

     Often, the generational gaps between families can lead to a lot of differences in opinions and views.  A lot of things can change in the course of just a few years, and this is especially true with immigrant families.  In my own personal experience with my parents growing up in India, I know it was hard for them to become accustomed to the culture here at first; however, since I was born here, American culture was really the first thing I learned.  Due to this, it's very difficult to compare our lives because of the vast discrepancies between the life style, customs, and environment of the two regions.  At times I get very frustrated with them if they don't understand something, but I know they're trying their best.
     Similar to author Sarah Vowell's experiences in Shooting Dad, I also have a hard time finding similarities to bond over my parents with.  When she describes her house as a house divided, that accurately defines my home as well: my parents influenced by more of an Indian culture against my sister and I with an Americanized culture.  However, I am glad that my parents give importance to teaching us Indian culture because although I may be more assimilated into society, I still want to follow Indian traditions; I do not want to completely lose my original culture. Though we may be an ocean's away from understanding each other (pun intended), I know they're always just trying to do what's best for me.

The Flamenco Dancer

The dancer closes her eyes, unable to face it. 

She thought she would have had the courage, but she doesn't. 

She remembers her so vividly, as she impatiently pulls her soft hazel-colored hair away from her tan face,

and intertwines her own small, nimble hand with the girl’s to help her stand back up from her fall.  

As she stands on stage, her ankle pulses with a constant ache. 

But she ignores it, instead masking it with the brilliant stance a dancer should always take.

She recalls the image of her picking out her first flamenco dress- blazing orange, similar to what the dancer was wearing right now.  In fact, her tawny, worn out heels belonged to the other girl as well.  

She would've been proud of her, or at least that’s what her mother believed.  But the girl was not so sure. She would never be as skilled as her, but she didn't want to be.  Dancing embodied her entity, and the girl never wanted to take that away from her-but it would always be something they shared.  

She has practiced the very first flamenco step she ever taught her to perfection.

Follow my lead, she had said as she counted the beat aloud in a tender yet fervent tone:

1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3.

She knew the spotlight caught every beautiful and flawed detail about her, 

from the strand of pitch black hair falling out of place to the straight, set posture of her body. 

It was all too much for her: the noisy audience, the deafening, upbeat tempo of the melody blaring all around, suffocating her.  It’s almost over she sighs with relief,

as she slightly drops her face to hide behind the curtain of her memories.

The flash of bright fluorescent lights cutting into the obscure darkness, 

the scarlet red car from the other side skidding on the clear ice. 

The lashing force, the piercing screams, the unbearable pain.  

Her bloodied face, slashed with zigzagged cuts from the broken shards of glass. 

The thin white puffs of her ragged breaths in the frigid air as she tries so desperately to hold on. 

The taste of bitter metallic in the girl’s mouth.  

The grip on her hand, slowly loosening.  She remembers it all. 

It could have been different- she could have swerved to the other lane, been more careful, driven slower.
No. What’s done is done. 

Now the girl can no longer feel anything, terrified of the rush of anguish that will destroy her if she does.
Instead she slowly closes her eyes before the applause shatters her unsettling solace 

and reaches towards the sky, asking, pleading for the chance to grab onto her sister’s reassuring hand once again, and know that all has been forgotten. 

Rhythms of Life

Music has been created and enjoyed back to the earliest of days, and is still a major aspect of modern society.  Artists around the world are always experimenting with different genres and writing new songs; they often use their music to convey and share their feelings about experiences or maybe because they want to teach people something.  For example, many reoccurring themes in songs are heart break, love, religion, and death.  Through music, people can bond over similar types of genres they like and also find comfort in relating to other's struggles. In "Because my Father Always said he was the only Indian who saw Jimi Hendrix play 'The Star-Spangled Banner' at Woodstock" by Sherman Alexie, the main character's father makes a connection to Jimi Hendrix's music because both of them are going through the same thing: marginalization in America.  He not only appreciates his talented guitar playing, but also understands that Hendrix is an African American, a minority race, living in a predominantly white society.  Alexie's father, being a minority ethnicity himself, empathizes with Hendrix's struggles of assimilation; consequentially, he listens to the artist's music incessantly to remind himself that he isn't the only one going through it. This portrays that music often opens up new doors in people's lives by allowing them to connect to other's as well as come to terms with the realities of life.  On the other hand, it can also do the complete opposite and provide an escape for individuals to get away from their hardships.  Either way, music is celebrated around the world and is something that people will always have a passion for.

Identity or Perception?

Identity is what someone associates his/her beliefs, characteristics, and qualities with while perception is the way others see you. Often, we are the harshest critics of ourselves by comparing each other and constantly picking at our own flaws rather than choosing to see our strengths. People want to please others, so they frequently create a perfect image of themselves. To make matters worse, perception has become even more complex due to the advancement of technology and increased use of social media: people often judge others based on their profile picture, how many followers they have or how many likes they get. Studies even show that social media can cause depression because people constantly compare their own lives to the unrealistic, exaggerated, exciting ones that others falsely project to make themselves look better. "The grass is always greener on the other side" is the perfect idiom to describe this: we always think others have it better, when ironically that isn't the case at all. That person who we compare ourselves with is just trying to give off a wonderful perception of their self; it's not their true identity. Sometimes we become so obsessed with what others think that we let it take control over our lives. But in reality, the best thing to do is to just stop putting up a disguise and allow people to see the real you. If everyone acts like their true self, the vast differences between identity and perception could diminish and perhaps barely exist at all.