There is nothing that bothers me more than people without opinions. I think here, in the opinion page, we should be able to express our opinions. Our opinions, which define us, which describe us; our opinions, which are us. I think that in life, there are two important things, to have opinions and to be able to express them. I am not saying that you need to be passionate about everything, I am saying that you need to be passionate about something; that in order to have your life count, to have a goal, to have direction, you need to believe in something. I don't care if it is God or that the Lunar Landing was a hoax, anything. The problem with opinionless people is that they cannot have a drive because they have nothing that drives them. I don't believe in apathy (as previously mentioned), but I do believe that the lack of opinions means a lack of critical thinking. It is human nature to hear something and have a thought about it. It is human to have opinions despite all the proof.
I think that humans need to be able to move outside of themselves; to think bigger. People should not say, "I don't care. It doesn't affect me." Because it affects someone. People need to stand up, but to do that, they need to have something to stand up about. But that is just my opinion.
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Everyone has a different definition of a hero as well as a different person they idolize and a different set of characteristics that they strive for. According to dictionary.com, a hero is a person with exemplary courage and ability who is revered for their good deeds and noble actions. According to Bob Dylan, “a hero is a person who understands the responsibility that comes with his freedom.” If you were to ask me, I would tell you that a hero is someone who is able to be selfless and act for the good of others. A hero must also be brave and/or hardworking. Not all situations require extreme courage, making extreme fearlessness a silly requirement. However, being hardworking and determined is an important attribute; dedication is vital- a hero does not stop halfway. This is not to say that these attributes must be incorporated in a hero’s life 24/7. I don’t believe that a hero needs to be someone who is always courageous and unselfish; what matters is that a they are able to be. In a time of need, it is characteristics like these that separate heroism from cowardice.
When I was researching for this project, I found the name of Razia Jan, a woman in Afghanistan fighting for girls’ right to education. Her school, the Zabuli Education Center, provides over 350 girls between kindergarten and eighth grade a chance to learn. Despite threats to her personal wellbeing from the Taliban, she has kept moving forward, improving the future of many people who wouldn’t have a chance without her. Conditions are so dangerous that she’s had to build a wall around the school as well as have the guards test the water to make sure the girls will be safe drinking it. To advance the future of the underprivileged around her, Ms. Jan is putting her life in danger. She is inspirational for this; her courage, compassion, and above all, selflessness, is what drove her in 2001 to help those affected by September 11 and what compelled her in 2005 to begin fundraising for the school’s construction after seeing the shocking atrocities going on in her homeland, Afghanistan. Her ability to put her own safety on the line for other people is undeniably inspirational. It influences anyone reading her story to stand up and support what they believe in. Before these valiant efforts, Ms. Jan lived peacefully in Massachusetts. In most regards, she wasn’t particularly special; she ran a tailoring business and was the mother of one son. However, she still did remarkable things. Her amazing endeavors, accomplished by her compassion and hard work, show a hero doesn’t need to be someone with remarkable strength from distinguished backgrounds. Everyone has the power to boost the quality of life for those around them. Ms. Jan began by shipping care packages to American soldiers, and this amazing service grew into providing education for hundreds of girls. Heroism is not about being muscular and herculean; it’s about being compassionate and unselfish. Even if you’re not a larger than life hero or a fictional character built to be amazing, there’s potential in all of us to be. Ms. Jan was fairly ordinary, but she has managed to make a prominent, incredible difference in the world thanks to her hard work and selflessness, and that is why she is a hero. If a person possesses any of these qualities, they have an opportunity to change the future of those around them. |
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