Watch fireworks with coworkers

Although the fireworks is at 5th of July and I have to work until midnight, but it is worth it. I had fun watch them with my coworkers. And I am gonna get 3 hours of sleep, because I am starting my MIP trip to tomorrow.  The first stop LA to meet with all my buddys come from all over the states.

Individual responsibility and desire #2

Is it true that our society value social responsibility more than personal desire?

Cultural background imperceptibly effect personal desire. I live in China for thirteen years, under Communism and Confucianism influences. I was taught that social responsibility is more important than personal desire since I was young. Hence when it comes the two conflicted to each other. I am more likely to choose social responsibility over personal desire. Such as, I would choose to take care of my sisters instead of go out watch movie with friends. Even though I wished hang out with friends, but my moral instinct tells me that help parents out is more important than have fun by myself. Because of Confucianism taught me that filial to parents is one of my responsibilities. Although I am living in a Democracy country now, but Communism and Confucianism will still effect every decision I make.

           Even though in our society everyone should has responsibilities to his own life and others’, but people who are in lower social class are more expected to behave more responsibly, since they have less control and power to other’s life. For example in my family my parents give chores to my sister and me to take make us take responsibilities in our house. Such as clean the kitchen after dinner and feed our animals. Children listening to their parents partly because they have no power fight back, since their parents provide house, food, clothes for them. And young people doesn't have the ability to take care of themselves yet. Therefore they have to listen to adults order.

On the other hand, responsibility is also a way to show moral characteristic and respect for other people.

Social Responsibility and Individual Desire

         Everyone has social responsibilities and individual desire. Different people may have varies personal desires, but as they grow older they have more responsibility to the community as well. The relationship between social responsibilities and individual desire are like the question “Which appeared first an egg or chicken”? Some say, “An egg”; others say, “Chicken”. However we forgot about there is another possible answer “It depends on both”.

           Growing up is part of learning to take responsibilities. As we grow older parents start teaching us taking responsibilities such as giving house chores, taking care of younger siblings, and doing homework on time etc.

            At the same time, when we understand more knowledge, our desire starts to grow. For example, we think about jobs, interests in the future. And what we can do now to achieve those goals. This is when we get all tangled up sometimes, because every action we do effect our community as well.

            In school our history textbook, literature in English class, and news media all seemed to value that social responsibilities are more important than personal desire. Is that true in our society? Individual could build up social responsibility. Such as if I have the desire want to become a doctor, so now it’s my responsibility to do my homework on time, get good grade, and try my best to study in order to get in a good college. Another example would be in order to be a president you also have to take responsibility of the whole country. Therefore, the higher desire you have, the more responsibilities you have to take. They are dependent on each other.

            However, religion has big effect between responsibility and individual desire. When it comes to religion and individual desire, there is no choice for her/he to choose. Especially in a religious country, personal desire becomes so vulnerable. That’s because the whole community would go against it. It is dangerous to express individual desire. Such as in the Scarlet Letter, Hester stands up for her desire. In the result of against the religion belief she got punishment from the whole town. According to Hester’s experience she gave the message that personal desire is more important than social responsibility. 

Should we ban assault weapons?

Speaking of gun violence, Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting on December 14, 2012 immediately popped in my mind. Twenty innocent children and six adult staffs lost their lives. This tragedy shocked and heart broke everyone. Assault weapons have threatened our safety and future. It had done enough harm to our family, friends, and society. We cannot let catastrophe like this happen it again. It needed to STOP NOW!!! Gun laws have to change and we need a safety environment to live.

            Assault weapons are dangerous to our society; and we are not the only one that realized this problem. You might have heard of the Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act also known as Federal Assault Weapons Ban (AWB) or the Semi-automatic Firearms Ban. This act is Congress dealing with crime and law enforcement. It was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1994. The reason President Clinton and Congress passed the law its because they were conscious of peoples’ voice and knew it is important citizens need a safer environment to live. For example, in July 1, 1993, in San Francisco 101 California Shooting was a mass shooting that nine people lost their lives, include the shooter. When affliction incident happened like this it will make us feel sorrowful and think about what we can do to make our life better than it is. Fortunately, they found their answer to restrict assault weapons. However, in the consideration to the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution protects the right of people to keep and bear arms from infringement. This Act due to a sunset provision that is took effect September 13, 1994, and expired on September 13, 2004.

            Today, gun violence keep threaten our society and safety. It is unfair for citizen to live their life insecure. More and more people brought up their voice and eagerly hope to change for better. The United States Senator for California Dianne Feinstein speak out our voice, “Mass Shooting in Newtown, Aurora, and Tucson have demonstrated all too clearly the need to regulate military- style assault weapons and high capacity ammunition magazines. These weapons allow a gunman to fire a large number of rounds quickly and without having to reload”. This quote shows how vulnerable human body is in front of assault weapons.

Other than that assault weapon bans have been proven to be effective. Justice Department study of the assault weapons ban found that it was responsible for a 6.7% decrease in total gun murders, holding all other factor equal. As all it said ban assault weapons have so much benefit to our society why shouldn’t we do it?

Without Homework, School, Enjoyable!?

Should high school teachers not assign students homework at weekend?

School is one of the most amazing places, we learned most of our knowledge and introduced us new friends from there. I love to go to school. However on the other hand, school is also very stressful. Personally, taking test is not as tough as trying to finish homework on time everyday, especially on the weekend. Therefore homework is a widespread problem between students and teachers.

I bet everyone has heard or maybe used one of those excuses for unfinished homework list below:

·      I just got too tired and no time to do it.

·      I have sports practice until very late.

·      I forget my notebook at school.

·      I have to work after school.

Notice that student attend not to finish their homework during the weekend. As a high school student I think all of those reasons are very practical and true. However teachers might think those are all excuses students been lazy and irresponsible. If you are one of them, please bare with me for a second.

Most of the adults have weekend off, because after a week working they are exhausted and worn out. They needed weekend to rest and fresh their memories for the new week. Same as students after week-long training and absorbing knowledge, our brain needed time to rest, especially for students who are part-time worker and athlete. They are desperate for weekend to come and work on their social life. I can image some students who are part-time worker have to stay up late on Sunday night trying to crack through all the work its due next day. And on Monday start with pooped face and grappling mood. 

Not only school-work take away students time to rest, it also limits students work on their own weakness. For example, student who plan to go college have to study for SAT on their own. If homework take away their time I can’t image how are they get extra time to study.

Nevertheless homework can refresh students’ memory if they have test on next week. It also can make students more skillful at what they had learned at school.

It is a tough decision whether to decide have homework at weekend or not. If students could be more responsible for themselves that knowing what they should accomplish on their own. I think teachers not assign homework at weekend it's debatable. Then go to school would be really fun and enjoyable without Sunday night's struggles.