This has been an
assignment that I was slightly unsure about near the beginning. I was unsure
how asking questions online could actually help us to get to know our
classmates. The assignment seemed to turn out a bit different than I had
anticipated. There were some things that I had assumed would happen; however
there were also some things that really got me thinking. Luckily this is being
posted in my blog so I can be my normal unapologetic self and asses the points
of interest the way I actually see them.
One classmate
asked where we would go and who we would take with us if we had a one way
ticket to anywhere in the world. Naturally, with me being the person I am, of
course I chose Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. This is the birthplace of Brazilian Jiu
Jitsu which has been one of my loves for the past few years. Rio Heroes is also
a product of this place. Just imagine bare knuckle mixed martial arts, it is a
beautiful thing. Enough about my response though, I had noticed that the
majority of the class had decided that they would not want to accept a one way
ticket. They are attached to the place in which they live. Because these are
real people I will abbreviate the names so that those whom it concerns will
still understand. R.L had said "I don't think I would want to permanently
move away from my home. I have everything I need here.” This one response
pretty much summed up what the class thought; they have what they want and who
they want here in their hometown. I respect their decision and their attachment
to this place in which we began to learn who we are. That being said I cannot
agree with them; if it takes a one way ticket to get myself into a better
environment for me to become the man I want and know I should be then a one way
ticket it is for me. As we move on we gained some further understanding about
the class and me.
The question that
I had asked was what lesson the class would their posterity that they had
learned from a major mistake that they had made in life. I had truthfully expected
the majority of the class to be brief and avoid alluding to the fact that we
have all made major mistakes in life at one time or another. Those who had
rejected the notion of major mistakes had come up with things that they had
learned from what I was left to assume were minor mistakes in their lives. The
responses that were given had a lot to do with honesty and seizing
opportunities. There was one post that stuck out to me, it was made by S.R
"... you can't look forward to the future if you dwell on the mistakes in
your past.". This is something that people constantly tell me. I
relentlessly beat myself up over the things that I have done. It has been a
problem that I have always dealt with. After reading this from someone that
I've not met it makes me feel as though there should be a bigger push to quit
dwelling on my past life. As we look at the mistakes of the past and the
prospect of the future it brings me to the one question that has puzzled me.
Where are you
going after you die? One question that has perplexed nearly everyone from
theologians to reformed Ukrainian Mob bosses (I've met some interesting
people...). When the class was asked this question, I'm not sure why, but I had
anticipated different responses. The overwhelming majority of the class had
said that they are Christian and had been saved so they are going to heaven.
This perplexed me for a few different reasons. Keep in mind that this is not
meant to tear down anyone's beliefs or religion, simply to invoke deeper
thought. When one takes the response that someone is Christian and they have
been saved so they will go to Heaven, is it really enough to just go into the
water and become saved? What happens to those who have not been saved, even if
they had never been exposed to the opportunity for it? If we follow the thought
that you must be saved to go to Heaven it would seem as though those in third
world countries that never had the opportunity to learn Christianity would be
doomed. They would not only be the only "doomed", from this
perspective any children that have died before they had the chance to be saved
would be in the same boat. Looking at this from a different perspective; what
about those who have been saved but do not show it? Throughout time there have
been numerous examples of those who have been Christian and "saved"
that have committed heinous crimes against humanity with no remorse to speak
of. Is it fair that infants and those who had not received the opportunity are
doomed while some of the world’s shittiest people, those that deserve the inner
circle of Hell, are "saved" simply for being submerged in water?
Apologies for going slightly off of topic but I felt the need to write my
analysis of this train of thought. Coming from this topic I find it necessary
to highlight one more question that was asked that also greatly helps us
understand the class which will be our audience. Just as religion greatly
influences our lives, those that we surround ourselves with also have a
profound impact.
The last question
that I will highlight from this exercise shows us who our classmates found to
be the most influential in their lives. After reading and gaining an
understanding of the class from the previous questions I felt that there was a
clear choice on which their influences were. As expected the majority of the
class was influenced greatest by members of their family. There were two
exceptions in the class; they were influenced most by someone outside of their
family. I would venture to say that here in the Mid-West our families tend to
be the people that influence us the most. This may very well be different as
you go further north and maybe south. Ultimately as we look at the results the
responses to this question line up with the beliefs that we can conclude most
of the members of this class adhere to.
Looking back at
this exercise we seem to be able to draw a conclusion as to who our audience
ultimately seems to be. Assessing the responses given when asked about a one
way ticket anywhere it is noticed that the class is fond of their home and very
few had said that they would accept a one way ticket. Regarding mistakes and
lessons to teach posterity the class seems to reject the notion that we all
make major mistakes in life with that being said they would teach of honesty
and one had spoken of not dwelling on the past. With not dwelling on the past comes
looking to the future as in where we will go when we die. Predictably enough
almost all of the class agreed that since they are Christian and had been saved
that they were going to Heaven. Just as predictably the class also shared the
feeling that various members of their family had been the most influential
people in their lives. Hometown and family oriented, honest and forward
looking, Christian and influenced by family members; to me personally this
seems like the typical Mid-Western to Southern mindset that I love so much.
