Burlington High School
Burlington, Kansas
Teacher: Mrs. Devra Parker
Abstinence of Excellence: Creeping Socialism
By Nathaniel Mingle
12th Grade
Those who have famous attributes have excellence. Those who achieve their goals consummated excellence. Those who go to school are accomplishing excellence. If you don’t strive for excellence, then what, better yet, where will you be? Picture yourself ten years from now; can you see what you need to do to accomplish your goals? If you want to achieve it in life, then you cannot procrastinate nor do nothing at all. You have to get out there and culminate your goals in order to obtain excellence.
Today, “excellence achievers” have plummeted in the United States. We really do not see that many people out there achieving excellence. Sure, you turn on the television and we see athletes striving to score a point. We can see the hard work, the determination, the hunger for satisfaction just jumping out of their eyes, ready to attack just like a tiger ready to pounce on its prey. That is the kind of excellence I am talking about. The kind that makes the audience stands up and rejoice in happiness. We just don’t see that kind of excellence in students anymore. Most students these days are procrastinators with no vision or outlook on life. They take life as it comes to them, just as if God was the dealer and they are all playing black jack or Texas holdem’. Do we see any procrastinators in the media? I believe that the answer is no. Of course we do not see any leisurely people out there because America cannot afford to have them in any position of power. This is why that young Americans, better yet, the whole world should strive for excellence. There needs to be democracy and not a communistic society. That is what we get if the youth do not try in academics. They will not know any better. That is how Kim Jong-Il is controlling North Korea; he blocks out all media other than his own, he abolished literacy other than the ones which display him as God, and he starves his country. Is that the kind of person we want to lead in our US democracy?
Someone once said, “Our lives are only as good as we decide to make them. We should make short and long range plans and then follow them through, reviewing them as we go. It is our design and determination that decides our destiny and this is our responsibility. When things are not right, we should blame nobody, for that only dodges the problems that lie within us and causes us to fail again next time. Examine your own actions and decide how things will be.” This is a great quote due to the fact that it depicts our life as we struggle through it. It also stays true to the fact that we should take small, baby steps to excellence. We do not want to start off big because the only place to go after that is down hill. We must start small and build our way up to the top; it is the fact of life. Another great point is that we should determine what we want to accomplish excellence in. Whether it is athletically or academically, it is still excellence.
An intellectual man once quoted, “We should make a special effort to be that which we want others to think we are. We must do our duties, complete our tasks, be kind and honest. It is not alone what we do, but also what we do not do, for which we are accountable.” This quote says much about excellence without even saying it. In other words, one should work hard and carryout his or hers tasks to achieve such a glorious reward. That reward is honor, pride, and happiness in which we have received for doing our duties. We must take pride in what we do for excellence to be rewarded.
Although excellence has decreased over time, excellence still remains. It may not be as crystal clear as before, but it is still shining like a “Windex cleaned” window. Excellence will always shine through the thick mud of procrastination and laziness that has taken over this God-forsaken land. We cannot have a little laziness slow us down. We have to achieve our goals, accomplish our tasks, and fulfill our destinies. America, the world, and the people will not surrender to the evil darkness of communism creeping up or slam procrastination into our minds. The people cannot and will not uphold this procrastinating of goals; we will break through the chains of laziness, and we will defeat the absence of excellence forever!
Answers To Questions Re: Required Reading
Q1- Am I really where I want to be?
Yes, I believe that I have acquired excellence due to the fact that I am in National Honor Society, a “straight A” student and I am on the High Honor Roll.
Q2- Am I moving in the direction that will enable me to make the greatest contribution?
Yes I believe so because, so far, any academically travesties have pondered upon me.
Q3- If I could achieve my highest goals, what would my accomplishments look like?
I would be an engineer graduated from an excellent college and have my own business which makes a profit well over a Professional athlete’s average salary.
Q4- Do I recognize excellence and search it out or do I find mediocre acceptable and am willing to settle?
I tend to try to recognize excellence but it always, somehow, turnout to be mediocre acceptable but I wish not to settle at that. I want to achieve excellence.
Q5- Do I seek out people, books, movies and other things that encourage me to be the best I can be?
I wish not to ponder of the thought to take ideas from other resources unless I really need to.
Q6- Do I recognize the best in others?
Yes, I see some of my friends in class and I say to myself that they can do better than what they have acquired.
Time Article
Q7- Do you agree with Morrow (paragraph seven) that: "Excellence demands standards. It does not usually flourish in the midst of rapid, hectic change. This century’s sheer velocity has subverted the principle of excellence; a culture must be able to catch its breath."
I agree with Morrow when he says that excellence demands standards. This is true because we must raise the bar in standards to achieve a degree of excellence. Relentlessly, excellence takes time and determination to reach that goal. I also believe that you will fail if you just stop what you are doing.
Q8- Interpret this quote from paragraph nine: "Woe to them that are at ease in Zion."
It is saying that those should pity those whom are reposing. If they take the easy way out then they should suffer in the real world.
Q9- Argue pro and con Morrow's contention that "Americans not yet successful (the struggling, the underclass) are apt to aim at ease, not excellence"?
Pro: If you take the easy way out than that means you can complete a task in a faster time than that of taking the hard way.
Con: You tend to make more mistakes and maybe destroy your chance of becoming “someone.”
Q10- Explain what Morrow means when he says (A) "the confusion contaminates character and disables ambition." Do you agree?
He’s saying that if you get confused and you don’t try to find help than you will fail and probably won’t achieve your goal in life. You just don’t want to try. I do agree with him and I believe that this is a problem in today’s youth.
Q11- Argue pro and con the effect of over stimulation and under stimulation as discussed in paragraph 10.
Pro: Under stimulation gave people enough time to think problems out instead of preemptively.
Con: The over stimulation in America has made excellence rare due to the fact of federal spending.
Q12- Contrast practical excellence with metaphysical excellence as used in Morrow's last paragraph.
Practical excellence is meaning to take time and use introspection when needed. Take your time and pride to come out with a reasonable conclusion. Metaphysical excellence is where someone can take something simple and make it divine. For instance, the Big Mac defeated a long working chef at a five star resort.
Quotations from Key 32 found at the end of your required reading.
Q13- Copy and interpret your two favorite quotes. Explain why you chose them.
“Our lives are only as good as we decide to make them. We should make short and long range plans and then follow them through, reviewing them as we go. It is our design and determination that decides our destiny and this is our responsibility. When things are not right, we should blame nobody, for that only dodges the problems that lie within us and causes us to fail again next time. Examine your own actions and decide how things will be.” This is a great quote due to the fact that it depicts our life as we struggle through it. It also stays true to the fact that you should take small, baby steps to excellence. You do not want to start off big because the only place to go after that is down hill. Start small and build your way up to the top; it is the facts of life. Another great point is that you should determine what you want to accomplish excellence in. Whether it is athletically or academically, it is still excellence.
“We should make a special effort to be that which we want others to think we are. We must do our duties, complete our tasks, be kind and honest. It is not alone what we do, but also what we do not do, for which we are accountable.” This quote says much about excellence without even saying it. In other words one should work hard and carryout their tasks to achieve such a glorious reward. That reward is honor, pride, and happiness in which you have received for doing your duties. Take pride in what you do for excellence.