I think we almost have to chose one of these options. A person deals with a person; their beliefs their prejudices and their personality. Whether to be polite or to just avoid confrontation and consequence. Or an individual can express their views calmly or violnetly sometimes both have consequences. But I think swallow is the wrong word here. I am not the kind of person to change my entire belief structure just because of one person's view or insight but I think we can mold ourselves by listening to others and through persona; investment in whatever we do.
But in the case of ambitions I think most people swallow what they are told and grind away in order to do what is needed to survive. In my case my boss may complain at me for being slow or too quite. But I do what I need to do to get my paycheck. I tell myself everyday to get in get the money and get out. Because in this instance the nail that sticks out get hammered down.
Now of course there are people who fight back and yell "SCREW YOU" to the system and for a while their is the brightest. Dr. King had a dream of equality and for a while he could not be stopped until he was slain. John Kennedy fell to the same fate. Preston Tucker was a famous aoutomobile maker who in the forties built a car so advanced for its time we are still just now putting his technology into use. As a result the big three (ford,GM, and Chrysler) sued him on a false claim and though he did nothing wrong and beat the case he was so bankrupt his business sank.
So we either survive and make small victories and hope others will walk with us or we fight the system and in many cases we are struck down.
does it have to be either/or? can't we work to meet in the middle or just stand on some common ground? i think we hold to our own ideological dream, but also realize that we never have all the answers. so, we consider what others have to say and transform accordingly. now, when within an imposing system of conditions, things can become more difficult. but again, this operates off the assumption that you are correct in your ideological dream and the means to get there. though names like mlk, jr. and jfk are admirable, there have been others with ideological dreams who were far from the mark.
To Anonymous 1: Well put about the nail sticking out. For me, the "screw you" protesting side comes out quicker than the "accepting small victories" side that doesn't seem to get too much attention. But in hindsight, I think you're right. Protesting only works for so long. It gets a point across, but when you're working against something greater than yourself, the odds are in their favor. Does this call us then to be as different as possible within the confines of their rules? Or is that also just another form of biting the hand that feeds you?
I'm currently a college student. Started writing a blog entitled "I Don't Really Know What I'm Talking About" right after some incredibly shady things went down with the church I had been going to. The blog served as a haven to put my thoughts, frustrations and questions into words. I become incredibly cynical and depressed from all my complaining about the church, and stopped writing for a period of time. Now I'm in college, and have started part two of my blogging career. This time around, I'm less angry and more focused on trying to piece a few things back together. So enjoy!
Who says it's either one?
ReplyDeleteIn the case that our own ambitions are different than what we are told to do.
ReplyDeleteI think we almost have to chose one of these options. A person deals with a person; their beliefs their prejudices and their personality. Whether to be polite or to just avoid confrontation and consequence. Or an individual can express their views calmly or violnetly sometimes both have consequences. But I think swallow is the wrong word here. I am not the kind of person to change my entire belief structure just because of one person's view or insight but I think we can mold ourselves by listening to others and through persona; investment in whatever we do.
ReplyDeleteBut in the case of ambitions I think most people swallow what they are told and grind away in order to do what is needed to survive. In my case my boss may complain at me for being slow or too quite. But I do what I need to do to get my paycheck. I tell myself everyday to get in get the money and get out. Because in this instance the nail that sticks out get hammered down.
Now of course there are people who fight back and yell "SCREW YOU" to the system and for a while their is the brightest. Dr. King had a dream of equality and for a while he could not be stopped until he was slain. John Kennedy fell to the same fate. Preston Tucker was a famous aoutomobile maker who in the forties built a car so advanced for its time we are still just now putting his technology into use. As a result the big three (ford,GM, and Chrysler) sued him on a false claim and though he did nothing wrong and beat the case he was so bankrupt his business sank.
So we either survive and make small victories and hope others will walk with us or we fight the system and in many cases we are struck down.
does it have to be either/or? can't we work to meet in the middle or just stand on some common ground? i think we hold to our own ideological dream, but also realize that we never have all the answers. so, we consider what others have to say and transform accordingly. now, when within an imposing system of conditions, things can become more difficult. but again, this operates off the assumption that you are correct in your ideological dream and the means to get there. though names like mlk, jr. and jfk are admirable, there have been others with ideological dreams who were far from the mark.
ReplyDelete--ellen
To Anonymous 1:
ReplyDeleteWell put about the nail sticking out. For me, the "screw you" protesting side comes out quicker than the "accepting small victories" side that doesn't seem to get too much attention. But in hindsight, I think you're right. Protesting only works for so long. It gets a point across, but when you're working against something greater than yourself, the odds are in their favor. Does this call us then to be as different as possible within the confines of their rules? Or is that also just another form of biting the hand that feeds you?