After reading and commenting on my english teacher's blog I decided to write a post about this same quote. In response to Mrs. Clark Evans post I said:
"In a sense we all are our own destroyer – we make our own decisions, we decide on our actions which ends up as a domino effect…one decision has effects on several things. You bring up a great point, “Why do we do the things we do when we just KNOW it’s going to turn out badly for us?” This is a GREAT question it can be related many aspects of life –school, work, friends, relationships…. I was trying to give my friend advice over the weekend and we actually asked the same question. I guess we just have this goal in our mind that we WANT to achieve and will do anything to get to it OR we have this perfect picture painted in our mind…. That we often ignore reality or the negative strings that may be attached to it. Some of us just have to learn the hard way, from negative first-hand experiences. "
Mrs. Clark Evans then replied back asking:
Maybe this aspect of human nature is a reason why some cultures don't give their citizens choices (as in "A Thousand Splendid Suns" that we read last semester). Do you think that there are any benefits to having the freedom to make these mistakes? As I write the question, the answer seems obvious, but what are those benefits and do they outweigh the potential negative consequences?
This is a great point. As I look back in the book that we read last semester called A Thousand Splendid Suns, this culture did not have many choices, or freedom. As with many situations I do believe there are pros and cons in having freedom to make these mistakes. Pro's: Hopefully, people WILL learn from their mistakes, and never make them again - and be able to help others as well. Con's: the mistake has already been made. Wonder if this mistake was more damaging then others? For example, Mistake: those who didn't do their English homework. Result: they loose points, hopefully it wont happen again. But what about those who just don't seem to care, those who don't have the drive, they know the consequence but still don't learn. What can you do?
I'll have to think more about if the benefits outweigh the potential negative consequences...I want to say yes. Freedom is a great thing to have but what about those who can't handle it?
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Great post, Lauren. I love how you are going beyond the easy answers and really trying to find the ambiguous truth-it's out there somewhere! Maybe this novel will take us one step closer :)
ReplyDeleteLauren,
ReplyDeleteYour question about the student who does not care about losing points is an insightful one. In the end, it comes down to what motivates us, and I guess I hope that the learning is the motivator. That if you don't do your reading, you lose that new experience for yourself. And that is our freedom to choose -- to have the experience or not. I know in a busy life, homework does not always have this much meaning :), but I like to think learning can.
And freedom to choose what things mean to us is the core of it all. I am not sure we really learn something until we have made a free choice that goes right or wrong with it.
Thanks for making me thing!
And of course, I meant "think" at the end up there :)
ReplyDeleteAfter going home and talking about this during dinner with my parents - I would say YES it is beneficial to learn from your mistakes, IF the cost of the lesson is less than the cost of the mistake.
ReplyDeleteMy homework example that I used earlier is a great example of the cost of the lesson being less of that of the mistake...
Lauren, you have me thinking, too. Failure is always a good thing in my mind if one has the attitude of being able to learn from it. If we never fail, we aren't pushing ourselves. But too much failure means either we are in the "unmotivated group" or we aren't figuring out how to make our lives work--both bad situations. I like the way you've framed it--the benefit outweighing the cost.
ReplyDeleteAnd, yeah, the whole motivation aspect is a hard one. What motivates people to learn? I hope it isn't grades. Do you now blog because you learn from reflecting or because Mrs CE will grade you? I'll bet it's because you find value in it. I wonder what got you to this point....
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
I am so proud of you, Lauren :)
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this a third time Im still not sure how I feel. Regarding the point of society allowing people to many freedoms, I believe in small government and follow the logic of Hobbes and Locke. Failure is important. It would be horrible for society to be run in such a way that failure would never happen. What you learn from failure is something you will never get from success. What does success bring you? A silly award and maybe some recognition. Failure is what pushes you to be better, to learn and to try new things. Removing a fear of failure is what will put you above everyone else.
ReplyDeleteNice point, Chris. Reading your post reminded me of the dangers presented in _Brave New World_. No "failure" there!
ReplyDelete@jclarkevans: BNW was one of the best novels we read all throughout high school in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteMrs. Morgan, I agree – too much failure does mean we are unmotivated or aren’t figuring out how make our lives work. There are many things that motivate people to learn. Grades is definitely one of them, the pressure in getting good grades is constant especially in high school – getting into college is getting harder and harder. Other things that motivate me to learn…the way the teacher presents the topic and how he/she teaches it (books, projects, discussions, activities, etc.), my general interest in the subject…I WANT to learn to expand my knowledge, to help me get into college, so that I can get a good job….so I can be successful – it’s not only what my parents have taught me but it’s what I want. I see some unfortunate people on the side of the road or working in WalMart, and it’s not what I want for myself. A student has to have drive and be able to “backwards plan”- I want to end up here so to do this I have to….etc. A semester course I took, US Government, I started off just taking the course to take it with slight interest in it. However Mrs.Blashford totally changed my interest – after doing activities, projects, BLOGS, discussions I really became more involved. She is the person who got me in love with blogging! I have never been so into this. I’m not doing it because my teacher is forcing me to – otherwise I wouldn’t be replying to comments and posting extra posts. I do it because it’s a great way to reflect and see other people’s thoughts and opinions….it gets my mind thinking – as with others I see! I am constantly checking to see if new people are commenting on my posts – it’s like opening a present! If I could I would do this all day. In response, to Chris’s response failure IS was pushes people. Without it society would be like the one presented in A Brave New World. (yikes! – don’t want that!)
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