On Ignorance: Mankind's Perfect Sanctuary

When it comes to mankind there is but one issue that always returns to memory... It is the simple, easily ignored issue of ignorance. It is rather interesting to see such a simple issue pass the eyes of many human beings. It is something that has yet to reach the moment of it's revelation to the world. How is it that I can see this epidemic occurring in young people so often? If it is not already evident, i am not on an extremely high plane of intelligence. It is not challenging for anyone to have a conversation with me, it is only that it would require at least some sort of thought. This sort of thought is something that others would much rather avoid than simply utilize . This is questionable. Are there truly this many people who, out of fear, refuse to open their minds to fear, anxiety, and possible threats to their personal character?

The issue that comes to mind first brings us to a simple moment in history. Because the reader may not already be aware of this particular historical event, i will attempt to explain in the most objective manner possible. While i do not have a particular time period in mind, i will touch upon olde England and it's foundations. Ignorance was a common protective measure used by the English in order to 'protect' the people, in a sense. It was only church officials who would be given the honor of reading and writing. This, already, is preposterous. To give the power of knowledge and vision only to church official was, in my opinion, a fool's plan. Why, is it, that people who are given the ability to read and write, to-day, choose to avoid the ease and comfort which eventually comes from a search for knowledge or wisdom? It is not simply about reading when it comes to wisdom, it is simply a matter of acquiring, as you say, 'common sense'.

In this particular case, i do not have a supposed 'theory' behind the recurrent issue of ignorance and i do not have a solution to this large issue. I simply found it appropriate to mention it as an issue which may require more attention. It is obvious that it could be used as protective barrier used to ward off bad occurrences, but what gives birth to this common phenomena? In olde Britain, it was simply used as a method to gain power over an entire populace. If only one man, per se, is given the knowledge to read, he is the only one who can choose what to teach all of the people. I ask you this: What is your personal opinion of the cause of ignorance in all of humankind? Is it currently being used as a method to control? Or is is simple a protective bubble used to avoid the problems we all face? What is the solution? Please, do comment and share with me your personal opinion in it's complete truth.

Perhaps in some time, i will write on this topic again, in greater detail.

On Bullying: Who Is the True Culprit?

When we think of bullying, what immediately comes to mind? Many of us think of the effects of bullying; we think of high school shootings, suicidal rates, or perhaps even our own experiences. But do we ever take a moment to consider the causes of this behavior? Perhaps we think to blame a certain group of people, such as the children who bully, the parents who raise them, or perhaps even the individual who is bullied. In many of these cases, we can always take a look at the bigger picture and decide just what might really be lurking behind each of these seemingly disastrous causes. The true blame is, contrary to many opinions and widely held values, in the hands of our own society. From the moment we are born, all we experience is a constant barrage of bullying from the media and it's desire to profit, to the schools and its uniform standards, and, quite unexpectedly, from our own parents and their nurturing ideals. While not done willingly, these actions and values have an effect on every one of us and seem to pass on from generation to generation.

The first example we will be visiting upon is racial prejudice. In the eyes of many, this is one of the most widespread forms of 'bullying' known today. From the Europeans spreading out and encountering many new races, to the average American finding diversity in his own homeland, we see discrimination in all walks of life. Even in these modern times, we see certain races 'given' superiority not based on sole talent, but based on the superficial idea of color. While we may have now found a way to create laws and regulations guaranteeing racial equality, we have not taken any steps to change the society which encourages this behavior. A racially discriminatory male is not born racist, he is taught to be racially superior by none other than his own parents. Now, you may be saying "That's not true! The media and other people may have an effect as well!" and while i do agree that society is a reciprocal effectual machine, i must also state that only one element in this system can either start or stop this counter-equalizing effect: The parents. If we see a child, we can see that they do mirror many of the things they see, but what we must also recall is who it is that they first mimicked and who it is that they frequently return to for advice.

What we will also be visiting upon is my own personal point of view. When i came to notice the way bullying seemed to function, i initially noticed how it all began. We would see a boy, for instance, playing with dolls or taking an interest in other feminine things, and what is the first thing that occurs? Even in the youngest days of a child's life, others come to regard the child as odd simply because of a trivial misconception. for instance, take a look at what we receive from the time we are born: adornments featuring the masculine color blue, tacky sports symbols, and 'manly items' such as monster trucks and hardware supplies. The problem therein lies in the forced masculinity or femininity that is pushed upon children from birth. No freedom is guaranteed, it's merely 'choose this' or... well, there is no other option. Many parents claim a rather reasonable notion which states: "He/she will be picked on for his/her differences." or "He/she will grow up believing he/she is the other gender." Sadly, these beliefs are counter-productive in the child's journey to finding itself. If a child is born as a different gender, forcing adornments and hobbies upon them will not change anything; in fact, it will only psychologically unbalance their young mind. Additionally, the fear of forced conformity through violent acts and its attempted prevention are over-protective measures. In over-protecting a child, you are restricting its ability to mature correctly, and as a result, ruining its ability to mature even more than the seemingly terrible 'peer pressure effect'.

 If we are to stop bullying, we must encourage individuality; we cannot 'bully' our children to fit in to a mold we create and if we are to stop forced conformity, we must truly live by the notion that we are all "Created Equal".