Big Spring High School
Newville, Pennsylvania
Teacher: Mrs. D. Whitmoyer

 

 

 

Looking Towards the Future

By Kali Brown

12th grade

 

Nate McConnell once said “The whole is the sum of the parts.  Be a good part.”  This statement is very true.  The role of personal responsibility in improving the quality of life in our communities today is obviously very important.  How can we expect out community as a whole to improve if the individuals in the community can not even be responsible for themselves.  However, not everybody in the community is irresponsible.  There are those that are actually very responsible and are a “good part”, but aren’t thinking of those who aren’t and how they can help them.  There are individuals out there who can really make a difference and improve our communities if they would only get involved.  I believe it is the personal responsibility of these people to get involved with the youth and help them become more responsible.  Take for example the individual who doesn’t work, whether they are retired or are lucky enough that they don’t have to work.  Instead of sitting at home watching “The Price is Right”, they could take a hour or two from their day to talk to kids at the local high school, volunteer at the towns’ community center, or coach a kid’s soccer team.  By doing this they are going to improve the community as a whole because they are improving the “parts”.  Since the youth is the future they should be concentrated on the most, but there are also things that can improve the present.  From helping the elderly neighbor next door shovel their side walk to having a neighborhood watch, the community as a whole will improve.  There would be nothing to lose in doing these simple acts.  We can’t be afraid of failure.  To not even try would be the bigger failure. 

         

There are also individuals in communities whose responsibilities are not taken seriously enough.  They could be the police officer who smokes in the local candy store or the parents of three kids who are too busy with their careers to take time out for their children.  These individuals need to think about their actions and how they effect those around them, especially the youth.  An unknown author once said:

 

“There are wide-eyed little people who believe you’re always right; and their eyes are always opened, and they watch you day and night.  You’re the little people’s idol, you’re the wisest of the wise.  In their little minds about you no suspicions ever rise. You are setting an example every day in all you do, for the little ones who are waiting to grow up to be like you.” 

 

Who ever said this has the right idea.  It’s everyone’s personal  responsibility to set a good example for the youth.  If we ever expect our community to improve we have to teach the next generations how to do it. We have to teach them little things like respect and honesty if we want our communities to improve.  We have to teach them about accepting those around them and their differences.  We have to teach them to love Earth and care for it by not polluting it.  Our communities ultimately depend upon today’s youth and the values they hold.  It’s time to take responsibility for these kids even if they’re not our children.  We have to care for them as if they were even if they are only the kid next door.  

         

I truly believe that “the whole is some of the parts” and if we want the “whole” to improve everyone has to be a “good part” and take responsibility for the good and bad aspects of our communities.  We have to acknowledge that there is problems in the communities we live in, not just in the town next to us.  We have to accept these problems and try to fix them so our communities can improve.  We have to do anything we can to prevent problems like drugs, underage drinking, and violence from escalating.  It’s our responsibility to find the root of these problems and put an end to them.  It’s also our responsibility to think about the future and what we want it to be like.  We have to get rid of the bad, increase the good, and make sure anything in between ends up on the positive end of the spectrum.  It’s time to take responsibility for ourselves and the community we live in.  It’s time to improve our communities and ourselves because after all, “The whole is sum of the parts” and to have a good whole we must play a “good part.”

 

 

Answers To Questions Re: Required Reading

 

Q1.  The United States does not invest in marriage as in the Manus society.  In fact marriages are taken a lot less serious.  They are more flexible and less mandatory. In the Manus society marriages are treated much more seriously, like a big investment.  They only “invest” in respectable men and women who haven’t been divorced and tried and enduring marriages. 

 

Q2.  27 years: communicate, commitment, respect

          3 years: communicate, spend time together, trust, flexibility

          13 years: suck up, make them feel loved by doing little things

          32 years: commitment, have stuff in common

          25 years: have a sense of humor, communicate

          8 years:  communicate

          39 years:  communicate, give to the relationship

          31 years:  realize there will be rough times

          6 years:   choose spouse wisely

          10 years: have a sense of humor

 

Q3.  Richard Eckersley believes our collective goal should be evaluating what we want our lives to be like and then doing it. We have to decide now if we think life is getting better and if it isn’t we need to find out how to make it better by asking ourselves questions like what makes a better life and how do we go about getting what we want. 

 

Q4.  A worthy goal for my community would be getting involved with the youth.  There are many young and old people who have the time, if they wanted, to mentor and get involved.  A goal could be once a week going to an elementary school and talking to the kids about the problems they face now and will later. 

 

Q5.  The article “Tomorrow’s Child” did have some good points but the one that sticks out in my mind the most I don’t really agree with.  I don’t believe that the gap between the haves’ and have-nots is making the biggest difference in children’s lives.  A young child could really care less how much their parents income is and what kind of car they drive.  In the end the thing that really effects a child’s life is how much love they receive from their family. 

 

Q6.  Democracy in the United States makes lawyers particularly helpful because it lets the people stand up for themselves with out getting involved with the government and likewise government is not distracted by civil problems.  With Americas diversity lawyers are really helpful because diversity brings about conflict and misunderstanding and the lawyers help keep it under control.  The United States wealth allows for the people to want to improve things other then basic necessities.  We can afford to use law to change dirty water and air and get better access to health care.  Also, the huge size of the U.S. makes lawyers helpful because they allow people to communicate and solve problems even if they live states apart.

 

Q7. Bad practices are changed by punitive damages because it’s a form of punishment that will make businesses think about the choices they make and the things they do.  Regulations are not the way to stop bad practices because there is always going to be people who don’t follow the rules.

 

Q8.  One way we will benefit from the retirement of the baby boom generation is that the jobs that are lacking workers will be filled since many retirees continue to work in some form.  Another way we will benefit is that the retired people will start up their own businesses and open up opportunities for other generations.  A third benefit is that the retirees who stay at home will give opportunities to the Generation X’ers to businesses such as nanny services for the elderly.

 

Q9.  President Clinton’s anti-poverty campaign should make a real impact. The first reason is that the time is a major benefit.  Right now there is nothing to lose.  Second, with an economy working full speed ahead the only way to keep it going is with new people buying and selling.  The anti-poverty campaign is helping these people who our economy depends on.  Last, this new campaign is different from the past.  The policies are much better and now the government is receiving help from private sectors. 

 

Q10.  Three things Truett Cathy and Tom Lewis have in common is that they are sympathetic, want to make a difference and take pride in what they do.

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