A Speech for All

As a final speech before we all depart, one must summarize all the time the class has spent together. Ironically, the lyrics from the song "Friends Forever" by Vitamin C continuously pop into my head every time I think of graduation. Be it from the countless video montages of high school graduates or just the song itself, the tune most certainly hits on the modern topics of this year's class.

Although this year is a bit different than the years past, we may be graduating but thanks to the dawn of the internet age, social networking is a breeze and we will still be able to maintain a large network of friends, colleagues, and family. Thus, graduation isn't as fearsome as it used to be in days past. The pressure of adapting to college life or a career is still present, however it is lessened by the fact that we know our friends are just a few clicks away.

Amir's Atonement

Amir's past is one that he considers soiled by his 'sins'. His actions towards Hassan were cold and ignorant. He watched him get raped, framed him of stealing his watch, and sent him away. Amir's thoughts were clouded and his judgment was not just. He was and still is young. However, he wants to be forgiven. He wants to atone for his sins. A major theme of this book seems to be overall forgiveness and how characters interact with each other while being able to forgive each other's sins.

Atonement

Atonement is a word that is not used lightly. One that shows the weight of one's sins and past wrongdoings. To atone for something means to give reparations for a injury or wrong that one has done to another. In order to do this, it takes a certain degree of self-consciousness, guilt, care for the other party/parties involved, and a sense of justice. Atonement for past sins and mistakes may be possible if the injured party allows it. Atonement is something that the individual must view as an equal weight to the injury. There are plenty previous Nazi believers whom have reviewed their actions at Concentration camps and deemed it inhumane. They are working towards their goal to 'atone' for their sins in their own way, be it by educating the youth about the Holocaust so it may never occur again or by their own personal goals of relief.

Brotherly Love

One of the many mistakes that I have made throughout my life that I have regretted is probably the period in time I never related, spoke, or acknowledged my own brother. He was very different than I am in both personality and mentality. There were many a time where we could not see eye to eye and his own desires matched my disdain for them. During this time, we treated each other as total strangers whom happened to live in the same household. My parents did not participate in his affairs, which probably only made the situation worse. However, we did eventually break through to him and everyone started listening to each other. From illegal activities and drugs he went to teaching art at a college in university in Malaysia and I am very proud of him. We bonded in more ways than just academia as life went on and I firmly regret not trying to talk to him about anything from our lives to what grub we should grab that night.

The Last Lecture

The Last Lecture is a book that reflects about the internal conflicts and extraordinary burden of one man whom is faced with terminal cancer. In the university he teaches at, there are certain lectures known as "The Last Lecture" where in professors take the lecture as if they were to die soon after. However, for Randy Pausch, whom was faced with terminal pancreatic cancer, it was truly his last lecture.

So far in the story, Randy is faced with the sudden realization of his own mortality and how he wants to deal with it. His family, especially his wife, desires to spend the rest of their days using the precious time he has left together. This is quite understandable given the circumstance but Randy can't help but shake the thought of giving a truly final lecture in his own habitat, on school campus. After months of talking it over with a therapist whom specializes in helping families of which one member is terminally ill, Randy and his wife decides to go through with the Last Lecture. To Randy, he hopes that this could be the sort of 'legacy' he may leave behind to his five, two, and one year old children when they grow of age.

This is all a true story and his lecture was recorded by Carnage-Mellon, which is now available on youtube to watch. I haven't watched the actual recording of the lecture on youtube yet, however I wish to once I get to the respective chapter in the book. As for future chapters, I believe it will detail how his thoughts, ideas, and experiences shape the form of his lecture and the internal strife he must deal with in order to prepare such a lecture.

Injustices Unrighted

Throughout history, individuals, societies, and even nations find themselves at a loss at how to act towards a certain situation. Each and every day, we see small injustices occur right in front of our very eyes and yet we do not do a single thing in order to prevent or halt it. Society finds it a hassle to meddle within other people's business and makes a point to say it's in fact rude to butt one's head into other's affairs, even when they are in need of aid. The United States of America has always interfered with other countries for better or for worse. By acting as the world police, the US is able to stop horror and conflict in it's path, however it is often for an ulterior motive.

In the Kite Runner, Haasan is a boy whom manages to catch the last kite in the kite running competition. However, he is then forced into an alleyway and raped by several other boys for the sake of vanities such as 'vengeance' or 'pride'. Another boy watches this happen without doing a single thing to help or prevent such an evil to occur. That boy would be Amir, the main narrator of the story. He watches his servant be raped in front of his eyes and ignores the fact that it even happened.

It is indeed true 'That all that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.'

Decisions, Decisions

The factors that affect decisions today are the same that have plagued the minds of those long before us. Family, morals, public opinion, self-confidence, time, etc. are all factors that lead to the ultimate choice of a conclusive decision. Depending on the situation we happen to be in, our thought process and priorities change to accommodate.

Humans are naturally adaptive creatures whom play with the cards that they are dealt with. If there is an obstacle in our path, we use our wits in order to bypass or eliminate the problem entirely. However, every instance in which we make such decisions, there are always draw backs and opportunity costs involved with said choices. We must use our education, intelligence, and common sense to weigh the decisions in order to wind up at the final goal with the most proficiency.