Be the One

By Kimberly Kaufman

Grade 12

As a part of society today, we all are pieces of a whole, together making an elaborate picture of what we are. As individuals we each possess many abilities that set us apart from one another, that make us unique to the mundane aspects of mainstream society, but as an active member of a whole it is our role to stand out and stand up for all humanity. It is our role to make a difference… to change the world; one must start within. It is time to stand for something, to stand for all. As a part of the whole, we are responsible for each other; we are responsible to improve the quality of life for the entire world. Starting today, right now, using our abilities, being sincere with ourselves, we are in charge of the future. The choices we make today are directly related to the results of tomorrow. It is time to get personal and improve the quality of life for all through actions and word we can improve the world.

Too many tragedies have plagued our world; too many young people slip and fail missing the goals they have raised so high. It is our task and sole purpose to help each other… it’s past time to get involved. Get into action, take part in the lives of others, no more self absorbed notions, be a mentor, join a service club, just take a role in the betterment of others. School shootings, theft, poverty, teen pregnancy and the list goes on… could all cease if just one person dared to care, really care. If the individuals who committed these acts could say that one person really loved them with unending concern, they would not be driven to seek attention in other areas. We are responsible for the future, it’s time to care and show others through our actions that we choose to put a stop to harmful activity and directly involve ourselves in productive means.

Actions are just one way to change the world, but you can’t make a difference if you don’t mean it. It’s time to be sincere, to be a part of someone’s life because your heart for helping has brought you there. How can you act in one way, then say another. Children are our future, tell them you believe in them, encourage them. Too many children are victims of violence and of bewilderment to the people that are supposed to love them the most. Where did society go wrong? Where are our parents? Show your kids you love them, but mean it, tell them. This is not just for families; the world would be so much better if we pay each other due respect. Where did our manners go? How can we treat each other in this terrible fashion? We speak with empty words that rattle mindlessly within our brains. Do we know where our hearts are any longer? What was it that we were once told, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say nothing at all?”

Change the world by changing yourself. Society would be better off by people who cared, who said what they do because they mean it. Simple “thank you’s” would make all the difference. The quality of life would increase because people would feel appreciated, needed, and respected. Idle words mean nothing, but sincerity makes all the difference in the world.

Using both word and deed would show or active involvement in the betterment of the quality of life. We have every responsibility for each other resting upon our shoulders. We would be influential people if we took our focus off ourselves and placed our concern with others. Through our actions and speech we can mold the future, sculpting the intricacies of a better tomorrow by the deeds of today. We are our brother’s keeper; we have every right and responsibility to care for today to increase the betterment of tomorrow. The world is missing people who have the audacity to stand up for something they believe in and act on it. It is time to stop being victims, cease to be on the defensive. Make the first move of kindness; this is the opportunity to be on the offensive, to use word and deed for the benefit of society. Stop reacting and just start acting out of sincerity and hope for a future far brighter than the present can imagine. It just take one it get it started, a spark to get the fire going. Be the one to stand up, the battle is raging, we can reclaim our communities… it is our responsibility to turn this world around and make it right. We have a task before us, but it can be done… it starts with one, be that one.

Questions After the Required Reading

Q1- How does society invest in marriage in the USA and in Manus?

The ceremonial exchange of marriage vows differ greatly from place to place, but in varying degrees, the United States of America and Manus have contrasting ideals of marriage. To most Americans, marriage is still considered to be a legal union of love, but as society changes and ideals become more lax, marriage is seen as an unnecessary announcement when couples can live with the same love without a legal union. In contrast in Manus marriage is a family union, mainly viewed as an economic progress and is strongly encouraged.

Q2- How to maintain a long, happy relationship (10 married persons surveyed).

Times married, years married: advice

2, 6: “Talk out your problems and do stuff together.”

1, 43: “Good communication, understanding and love.”

1, 43: “The longer you live together the more you know each other. It

takes a lot of give and take on both sides.”

1, 29: “The wife is always right no matter how stupid it is.”

1, 29: “There is a lot of give and take and it’s not always 50/50.”

1, 25: “It is a choice to have a long, happy relationship.”

1, 16: “Realize that love is a commitment.”

1, 10: “God has to be first, and don’t go to bed mad.”

1, 25: “It is a lot of give and take and it’s more that 50/50, it’s

100% both ways.”

1, 25: “Write down the original reasons you fell in love, so that you can

refer to them later.”

Q3- According to Richard Eckersley, what should our collective goal be?

According to Richard Eckersley, “Our goal should be to dematerialize society without reducing the quality of life.” As society builds, materialistic values increase, but that in no way shape or form guarantees a better way of life, happiness or fulfillment. Eckersley points out that as the 21^st century culture expands and assets increase society and the environmental concerns decrease. Our collective goal as a society is to reduce the value on tangible items and increase the value on the individual and the welfare of the whole.

Q4- Write a worthy goal for your local community.

As a community we need to be united in service for each other. Our neighbors need to become friends and as a community we need to rise up together to help one another. We can not survive any longer in the condition of this world… we can make it better by starting with our surrounding area and ourselves. Through service and attitude we can come together to put less emphasis on “me” and place more concern with “everyone.” As a community we can make our world a better place if we just join together to help each other.

Q5- Comment on the excerpts from “Tomorrow’s Child.”

It is saddening to know that there are so many latchkey children and it is infuriating to even propose a doll designed to look like a child’s mother. Why in the world would such and idea arise? If a child can not have a nurturing relationship with it’s natural mother what is a doll filled with fluff going to do for a child? Will the presence of a stuffed dummy encourage and provide the maternal support that a child needs? If a parent can’t provide what a child needs, what is a doll going to do? Would it be better for a child to be secluded with a silent representation of their mother or no mother at all? Human contact is what the child needs. Sitting home alone and at home with a mother-designed doll would produce the same results of an inwardly unstable child. It would be more productive for the child to have a relationship with a mentor or belong to a community organization than to stare at a make believe mother.

As the socioeconomic gap widens and minority groups begin to increase, many are expected to fall through the cracks of society. It is time to bring economic importance to a level of understanding… a level of importance of life without as much pressure on income. Life should never come second to money for the quality of life is not based on income. It’s time to get the world’s priorities straight so the children of this world can survive to see the next generation.

Q6- How does the fact the USA is a democracy that makes lawyers particularly helpful, according to Kathleen Sullivan? How does our diversity, wealth and size make lawyers particularly helpful?

The fact that the United States of America is a democracy makes lawyers helpful in communication from members of society. They influence the economy and public relations. The diversity, wealth and size of the US gives lawyers a great opportunity in to be an active control of the way society is run based on their establishment. Lawyers boost the economy, but mainly increase the productivity of human relations.

Q7- Ms. Sullivan claims bad practices are changed either by regulations or punitive damages. Which do you prefer and why? Can you think of an alternative?

Punitive damages are an effective way to control inefficient behavior. Restrictions and relations are just a temporary fix to an age long problem, which when the tensions of mistakes clear… many are much more likely to regain their deviant behavior, but punitive damages… hits people where it hurts the most… in the pocketbook. It is money and punishment that not only is funded to one noisy person, but to many who have been victims also. Punitive damages is a correction of a problem that helps all victims involved… I don’t know of any other punishment that has such effective results.

Q8- Briefly describe three ways society would benefit from the coming retirement of baby boomers, according to the required reading.

Society would benefit in many ways from the retirement of the baby boomers. Many baby boomers would have more time to be mentors and teach younger generations what they have lived through and help younger people make better choices. The baby boomers would be a bigger help in society by contributing more time to worthy causes and non-profit charity organizations. They would be better able to help each other and the rest of the world by having more time and energy to give all they can to the community. Finally, by the retirement of the baby boomer’s more jobs would open giving younger generations better opportunities to give to their families and provide help for society’s needs.

Q9- Evaluate the likelihood of President Clinton’s anti-poverty program making a real impact. Give three reasons to back your conclusions.

I see President Clinton’s anti-poverty program not making a real long-term impact. Poverty has been a hushed problem among the United States since began and any plan to help these people has never made the impact originally intended. Second, as long as people are humans, motivation will always be on self and discrimination will result. Only those chosen to be helped will be, but poverty will still arise among those who are not in favor of society’s ideals… always being coined as lost causes. Finally, as a capitalist country everyone is for themselves, for their money and for their own power, why would they be concerned with those who can’t seem to make their own way just as they did? The mentality of America is that only the fittest will survive… and no matter what presidential legislation mandates, poverty will continue to thrive.

Q10- Name three things Truett Cathy and Tom Lewis have in common.

Truett Cathy and Tom Lewis were the men that they were because of their backgrounds and training in life. Both men were undoubtedly Christians with a higher hope for humans than most of society can imagine. Cathy and Lewis were also men of integrity and worked for the goals that they aspired to. They did not give up even when trial seemed to stand in the way. They were men of perseverance and they kept on loving people, especially children because of who they were. Cathy and Lewis were men who made a difference because of their Christianity, their integrity and their perseverance.

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