Yes, an experiment in being bold.
Each year, the senior AP English class gets to design the t-shirt we all wear to our Poetry Picnic. Last year, the seniors put inside jokes on their shirts that the juniors (who are now the seniors) didn't understand until they read the material from this year. So, because this peeved them, they decided this year they're going to make a shirt strictly for their class, and then an additional shirt for the Poetry Picnic. On the Poetry Picnic shirt, they decided they wanted to put a picture of a bonfire on it and then write something along the lines of "Where's your Walden book?" because apparently this has been an ongoing joke for them since last year.
Um, I have a problem with this. It's been approved by the teachers because there's not an actual picture of a burning book, just the implication of it.... I personally believe that there isn't a difference. I believe it's completely ignorant to promote the destruction of literature- regardless of the fact that I also happen to like the book in question. Every single piece of literature has something to offer its readers- it's just up to the reader to want to take it in. And (this is where I'm going to be biased-) Walden offers a lot to those to wish to understand it. Those who are too uneducated to understand it reject it. Yes, I think it's okay if you dislike the book, obviously it's not for everyone. There are books I don't like, like The Catcher in the Rye, that are well-liked by others. It's okay! to have differing opinions. It's okay to personally reject your opportunity to learn from a book- although it's something I try not to do myself. But I do not think it's acceptable to advocate burning a book. Thoreau's writing has never done any harm to any of us- it's not Thoreau's fault that the senior class got stuck with a teacher who failed to teach them the real importance of the book (sorry, low blow right there). Walden's worst offenses are that it is "boring," and that it lowered everyone's grades because we failed the quizzes. Is this really enough to push a person to say they're going to burn the book?
By wearing a t-shirt with a message like that, I believe, poorly represents the values of AP English. Yes, Advanced Placement, which I think means that we should appreciate- and at least RESPECT- literature more than the average student. And here we are, saying we want to burn a book just because most of us don't agree with it? Because it's boring?
This is something I feel strongly about, and I feel the same about every piece of literature.
"I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it."
------Voltaire
So, it's just petty t-shirt drama, but I talked to my teacher and expressed myself just as I did up there^. And I guess he talked to the AP12 teacher, and now the senior class is pissed at me. While I don't mean to offend them, I'm glad I was BOLD and stood up for what I believed in. And sure, I'll defend their right to wear ignorant t-shirts until the death, but I will personally reject doing so myself. It's a petty cause, but it is a cause. Respect literature- that's all I ask.
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Literature's a group of books. One can easily respect an entire group like chritians or chatholics. And it's easy to hate an individual. For behavoir or actions that person has done. Now what you say is you can hate this person but also respect their vaules. Then, to me that just sounds like you rationalized your own right to not be so pissed at this symbol of ingnorance. What they hate is what they don't know. Like you said the senior class is now pissed at you the way your pissed, indirectly, at them. I'm sure you try not to but still have thoughts of "You fucking retarded lazy piece of hooplah! You didn't even try to understand the book." Which means they don't know. And in turn these people don't know you, your values, or behavior. What they know is at face value. And that message is "Yes I'm that girl who spoke my mind about this t-shirt to the teachers." Now while human behavior is explored extensively in essays, books, and poems, hate is the one emotion I... dislike the most. Because it's the fuel to the fire that burns inside your eyes frying everyone you choose who walks in your path. While it is easy to respect a group, it is also easy to hate a group. "American sucks." "The government does shit for us." "Why don't mexican's stay in their own fucking country?" On and on and on. We don't know the individuals who participate in what maybe good for us as a people or for themselves. While it is always appreciated and altruistic to help people out, sometimes individuals have to do things for themselves. Take a break from work, from school, from homework, from friends, from the internet, from tv, from not speaking one's mind. And while in doings things for one's self is where, I think, opinions and biases have come from. People do need a break from the status quo and be who they are instead of who they have been with. But this mind set of going with the flow is very comforting. Just like reading, and tv, and the internet, and (not entirely) the joy of doing a job well done or getting all A's on homework. So in all, to me at least, it is a whirl wind of actions and human behavoir that ultimately counter each other if there is too much of one thing. I am not saying it is ok to go with the flow of unaware people, but I'm saying is individual thought has to be managed to an extent.
ReplyDeleteNow, yes there is a whole group of some odd numbered people who support this suggeting idea of buring Walden because they "hated and thought it was boring." But again you referance the idea, which makes this singular, and you could maybe pursuaded other to see your view and follow your boldness, but again that come back to your counter idea which makes it singular. Their singular idea was enough to piss you off while your singular idea and action was enough to piss the entire lot of them off. All in all they are allowed to have thier way while you agruged you have just as much right to have your idea. Yes you stood up for your idea, yes you are considerably right in fight ingnorance, but you can't tell these people have to think, what ideas to have, or even consider. Which is where being ones individual is all about. To me, coming right back to contradictions of behavior, actions, ideas, motives and values.
And do you have any idea how tiring it is to write all that.
ReplyDeleteLol, thanks for writing all of it, i don't know why you said i'd be offended. Yeah, i'm pissed that they don't respect my opinion but my shirt in which i stand up for my boldness will not be fueled by hate, it will SIMPLY be a better reflection of how i feel about the book. No hate on my part.
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