Man of Many Thoughts

In response to the video “Michael Goodwin on the loss of the freedom to fail”

In modern society, the silver platter treatment is one that the youth of America not only encounter; it is something that we have come to expect.  The mindset of many high school students today appears to be rather linear: pass classes, graduate, go to college.  Although there is nothing at all wrong with this plan of attack, it lacks a certain depth that is crucial in the educational and life experience.

Learning is the fundamental element that aids in personal growth and understanding of the world around us.  And so it is through education that learning shines its brightest—at least it should.  At times, students, and even teachers, do not realize the importance of learning.  Far more precious than getting good grades or doing well on final exams or getting accepted into a prestigious college, learning holds the key to success.

With learning comes failure.  Yet by a number of today’s standards, failure is viewed in a negative light.  People who fail are considered stupid, lazy, and worthless and have nothing to contribute to the world.  Such is the common perception of failure.  And so the youth of the 21^st century possess a certain fear to fail.  High expectations from teachers, parents, and guidance counselors make it nearly impossible for there to be any leeway.  There exists little room for error for these students, and as a result, they do everything in their power to produce the best possible results, paying no attention at all to the learning process.

Tests are simplified, extra credit is offered, and the homework load is lessened because educators recognize the stress of having to impress colleges and universities.  And school administrators do not mind when a large majority of their students are graduating with high marks and going on to advanced institutions of learning.

Unfortunately, for those of you who are looking for an analysis or summary of Charles Dickens’ classic novel, you will not find it here.  But please continue reading!  The purpose of this post’s title is to relate the idea of the expectations authority figures have for their children.

Ever since we were young, our parents/guardians held us to high standards, hoping to polish our manners, instill in us a wide range of morals and values, and prepare us for life, especially the educational life.  Once our minds entered the world of formal learning, we encountered a few more people who accepted nothing less than success: teachers.  And as our lives progressed even further we were met by coaches, instructors, club moderators, and directors who expected greatness.  The main question I pose is this: Do these expectations mean anything?

To answer this, it is necessary to break down the different kinds of expectations that exist in the world.  Let’s begin with our parental figures.  The common thread among parents’ expectations for their children is that they “do the best they possibly can.”  Yet, this is not to say that ALL parents emphasize this belief; there are a few who push the envelope a bit too far.  Regardless, most young people feel that striving to achieve their personal best is a plausible expectation.  Nevertheless, when college comes into the picture, expectations reach all-new levels.  More about this in the next section.

Another group of people who expect a great deal from children and teenagers is teachers.  But this goes without saying, right?  Educators get paid to aid in student achievement and foster learning.  In fact, those teachers who hold their students to high expectations are the ones who help produce the best results—good grades, standardized testing success, and most importantly, learning.  But as mentioned before, once college enters the fold, expectations of teachers tend to stretch to impossible lengths.

In society today the imperativeness of going to college is embedded in the minds of students, so that they can, in turn, get quality jobs, raise families, and live life without any struggles, despite the fact that struggle is what defines us as humans.  The expectations begin junior year of high school.  Teachers, counselors, and parents stress the importance of report card grades and ACT/SAT scores, all the while adding a great deal of unnecessary pressure to these 16- and 17-year-olds.  

While all of these people claim to only be doing what is in “our best interest,” the magnitude of their expectations is unfathomable.  Several expect us to major in one area because it will produce a six-figure salary.  Others expect us to pursue a career that is greatly respected, like law or medicine.  But some things that are usually neglected in such decisions are passion, joy, and true happiness.  The truth is, no single person is able to realize these crucial things.  No one—except you.  And so, it is here that expectations reach a roadblock.  The only ones that really matter are yours.

But just in case you might need a little help in sorting out your expectations, I offer mine as a guide:

1)  Do the best you possibly can.

2)  Do something you love.

3)  Be a good person.

4)  Live life to the fullest.

Good luck, and thanks for reading!

Tomorrow at 7:30 a.m. (CST), the nominations for the 83rd Academy Awards will be announced.  Tune in bright and early to find out who makes the cut.  Right now I will make my predictions for which films/actors/directors will get nominated.

Best Picture

Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
The King’s Speech
The Social Network
The Town
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter’s Bone 

Best Director

Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan
Joel and Ethan Coen, True Grit
David Fincher, The Social Network
Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech
Christopher Nolan, Inception

Best Actor

Jeff Bridges, True Grit
Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network
Colin Firth, The King’s Speech
James Franco, 127 Hours
Ryan Gosling, Blue Valentine

Best Actress

Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right
Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence, Winter’s Bone
Lesley Manville, Another Year
Natalie Portman, Black Swan

Best Supporting Actor

Christian Bale, The Fighter
Andrew Garfield, The Social Network
Jeremy Renner, The Town
Mark Ruffalo, The Kids Are All Right
Geoffrey Rush, The King’s Speech

Best Supporting Actress

Amy Adams, The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter, The King’s Speech
Mila Kunis, Black Swan
Melissa Leo, The Fighter
Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom

Best Animated Feature

How to Train Your Dragon
Tangled
Toy Story 3 

So, once I finished my five-hour meeting/retreat this afternoon, I was able to catch the final five minutes of the NFC Championship classic that pitted two of football’s greatest rivals against each other: the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers.  Heading into Sunday’s game, I felt a feeling of excitement, knowing that the hometown team could be headed back to the Super Bowl for the first time since my freshman year in high school.  And while I felt a great deal of disappointment that the Bears were unable to come away victorious in Super Bowl XLI, there was a feeling in me that it wouldn’t be long before the Monsters of the Midway reached the ultimate game once again.

Four years later, the Bears had a perfect opportunity to shock the world (despite the fact that they had home-field advantages, they were still the underdogs going in) with a victory over the hated Pack.  Even though I missed the majority of the game because of my already-scheduled extracurricular commitment, my sister was sporadically sending me text messages, updating me on the score and other big news, most notably the injury to quarterback Jay Cutler and the subsequent “sucking” of 2nd stringer Todd Collins in the words of my sister.

At about 4:30, my phone vibrated, notifying me of a Bears’ score.  With this, I became excited and anxious and just wanted the meeting to END!  Following our closing prayer, I rushed into the cafe neighboring our meeting location and gazed my focus on the TV.  To my dismay, the Packers had just intercepted the ball and scored a TD.  Needless to say, my hopes dashed—but not before rookie emergency quarterback Caleb Hanie connected with wideout Earl Bennett to put the Bears within seven of Green Bay.  And once the Packers went three-and-out on their next possession, I thought for sure Chicago would tie it up.  And with the final throw of the game, my heart sank, my hopes became crushed, and the entire season seemed like a waste.

And while I absolutely cannot stand the cliche, all the Bears can do is wait until next year.  But before I address next season, let me first say why the Bears will not be making a trip to Dallas in February.  In all honesty, Chi-town’s football team was lucky enough to make it this far.  No one expected anything from this team in 2010, and they exceeded expectations.  

As for the game itself (although I was unable to catch most of it), the Bears simply did not show up to play.  They did not appear to be a team that was a win away from clinching a spot in the Super Bowl.  Instead they looked unprepared, lackluster, and incapable of making any adjustments.  It makes sense to blame Jay Cutler for his inaccuracy in the first half, but it is silly to call him a quitter for an injury with which it was impossible for him to return.  The Bears did not capitalize on key interceptions, and difference-makers Devin Hester and Julius Peppers did not factor much into the game.  And there were a few questionable calls by the officials, as well as some confusing moves by the coaching staff (not utilizing Robbie Gould, time management, making adjustments, etc.)  All in all, however, the better team did win.  There’s no question that Green Bay’s defense and the Aaron Rodgers-led offense exceed the Bears in talent—and to think, the Bears could have avoided a matchup with the Pack by just beating them at Lambeau during Week 17.  Nevertheless, the Bears did have a chance to win, but they failed to capitalize.

As for next season, the Bears need to decide whether or not to extend Lovie Smith.  The Bears’ head coach has generated a great deal of criticism over the past few seasons, but I don’t think there is any doubt that he is going to be getting a contract extension.  In terms of the players, Chicago has a good core and a few star players that act as leaders.  Upper management needs to surround this group with some offensive linemen that can protect Jay Cutler (yes, Jay will still be the quarterback regardless of all the hate he is receiving right now) and some quality (maybe veteran) receivers.  The pass defense needs to be upgraded as well, but special teams remains a strong spot for the franchise.

The question is, can the Bears make it this far next year?  Truthfully, I can’t be so sure.  The Packers are one of the best teams in the league, and they’re likely to get even better once some of their players come back from injuries.  The Vikings will be Brett Favre-less and Leslie Frazier is likely going to continue the hot streak the Vikes found at the end of the season.  And even the Lions, who are so familiar with the NFC North’s cellar, will be much improved in 2011.  So right now, it is difficult to see the Bears’ repeating as division champs, but a playoff appearance is possible.  But, who knows?  The NFL is a strange league in that different teams make the postseason every year.  And with a possible NFL lockout next year, it might be difficult for ANY team to make the playoffs.  We’ll just have to wait and see how it all plays out.

Thanks for reading!

Well, it’s about time I’ve gotten back to the blogging.  It’s been what, two, three months?  I guess you could call it a much-needed period of relaxation following the stress that is final exams and projects.  Regardless, I have returned from my lengthy hiatus.

Since my last post, so much has happened—in my personal life and the world itself.  But why reflect on the past?  There is no need, so I will simply focus on the present.

What is on my mind right now is Awards Season: the year’s best in film, television, and music.  The highly-anticipated season kicked off this evening with the People’s Choice Awards, which is probably the least accurate in terms of selecting deserving winners because, like the awards show dictates, the people are given the opportunity to choose who they believe to be the best. 

As we, the American public, have no real credentials in making such selections, this particular awards show does not appear to possess a great deal of merit or respect.  We as viewers are limited in terms of what we have seen or heard in the world of pop culture, and, of course, we vote based on our personal preferences rather than our thoughts on who the best actually are.  With this said, however, let’s take a look at the night’s winners.

Looking at the fact that the Twilight saga’s Eclipse won in four of the six categories for which it was nominated, including Favorite Movie, Favorite Movie Actress (Kristen Stewart), and Favorite On-Screen Team, it is safe to say that the majority of the “people” voting consisted of a bunch of young girls and teenagers who were swayed by the two leading males in the film series.  This is why awards shows that allow public voting cannot be taken very seriously.  I mean, we all know that a handful of movies outshined the vampire/werewolf picture (although I have not seen it myself) this year; then again, the categories are labeled “Favorite” and not “Best.”  But really, who didn’t love Toy Story 3 and Inception?

Similar questionable winners were seen in the television and music genres, both of which produced winners likely chosen by the youth of the country.  Glee, a popular TV show among young people, boasted two winners, while four Disney Channel-related actors/programs took home awards.  As for music, those that came out victorious were artists that dominated the pop airwaves this past summer: Katy Perry, Eminem, Rihanna, and Usher.  I’m not saying that any of these artists didn’t deserve their People’s Choice trophies.  I’m simply implying that they were chosen by listeners for whom their music was predominantly intended: teenagers and young adults.

So, even though I have no idea who actually cast votes for the People’s Choice Awards, I have a hunch that most of the ballots were from a select group of people—anyone 30 and under.  Perhaps next year’s show should be renamed.  I guess something that would better suit the voters.  But what do I know?  I’m just a kid!

Thanks for reading!

Wow!  I have really been slacking this week with my blogging.  Truth is, I have been so busy that I’ve had to put blogging on the back burner.  Nevertheless, I will try my best to post on a more consistent basis.

With the weather outside becoming increasingly frigid, many of us are doing all we can to stay indoors, whether we’re cuddled up somewhere warm or drinking a steaming mug of hot chocolate or even sitting by the fire.

While all of these indeed sound tempting, there is no denying the beauty of autumn and early winter.  Sure the temperature might be below freezing occasionally, but why not spend a mere ten minutes or so enjoying what nature has to offer?

Going for a walk outside is not very common these days.  And why should it be?  Without a doubt we are all immersed in our busy lives, and any form of entertainment that we seek comes in the form of music, television, or, of course, the Internet!  What we’re saying is this: “I don’t have time to go for a walk, and even if I did, why would I waste it when I could be on Facebook?”

Really?  We can’t spare a fraction of our 24-hour day to spend a bit of our lives outside to relish the wonder of God’s gifts?

There is so much that can be done on a walk.  You can observe the unique aspects of the natural world: the colors of the leaves, the chirping of the birds, the bright blue sky, the light breeze that blows your hair, and hundreds of other features of magnificence.

Going for a walk also allows for deep thought and meditation.  If ever you’re upset or confused, or even enlightened, consider stepping outside and taking everything in.  Away from people, technology, and every other possible distraction, you can just enter a peaceful realm and get your mind thinking.

So, over the next few days, set aside some time, and go for a stroll.  Don’t bring anything with you: no iPod, no phone, no anything!  All you need is yourself.  Thanks for reading!

Today is Election Day! If you are 18 and registered to vote, do your civic duty!  Who knows?  Your vote might be the difference in a key race!