May 22

Challenges

I've always been one for a challenge.  So, when we were given our assignment sheet for a final essay in Global Issues, I knew pretty shortly what I would have to do. On it were a list of assertions to respond to.  They were phrased and made in a way that suggested that this should be a response in the affirmative. But that's not what I've learned, not in this course or in this school system.  I was questioning these assertions.  And while struggling to decide amongst the vague, progressive ideas listed, I decided that I had to respond in the negative to these.  I would pick a topic that I could assert was not as it was shown, and do it convincingly.  Oh, the potential was there for a firestorm.  "Indigenous Peoples can teach us about how to live sustainably."  I was tempted.  But I also didn't want to leave the school on a note quite that controversial. So I'll be writing an essay about how we do not "all belong to the human species, our concerns are interdependent, and we are part of the natural world."  This might be a challenge in areas.  It might be a success.  But it's something I'm excited about, which in school for me these days is an accomplishment already.  It's going to be an adventure.  And I like those.