“I, Pencil” by Leonard E. Read is basically about the in depth history of the pencil. Where most of the products come from, how it’s used, and how the everyday person may take it for granted. The average person doesn’t know how a pencil is made; therefore many don’t realize how many hours of labor and how many people it takes to make this everyday item. Many may not know that that the wood from a pencil comes from the cedar in California, the graphite is mined in Ceylon, and the clay the graphite is mixed with comes from Mississippi. A pencil is a very complex object. The pencil is sent all over jus to make school and office supplies, even if the only ones who appreciate it are first graders. The pencil wants us to realize that there isn’t a mastermind behind it, that there is a mystery at work.
A pencil is a mystery to many, when you look at a pencil all you may see is “some wood, lacquer, the printed labeling, graphite lead, a bit of metal, and an eraser”. The pencil is just seen for its outer features, not the hard work that’s put into it. Even though the pencil is just seen for its finished product and not for the different roles there are in making it, the pencil believes in one thing. He believes “There isn’t a single person in all these millions, including the president of the pencil company, who contributes more than a tiny, infinitesimal bit of know-how”. The pencil feels as if he isn’t the motivation for the many people that contribute to his making, but it all has to do with what skill you have. He also thinks that each man who has a hand in making him exchanges his skill for something in return…and its most likely not a pencil. What grabbed me as I was reading this paper was that the pencil believed there was a “higher power” actually controlling the making of a pencil. He states that “Only God can make a tree. Why do we agree with this? Isn’t because we realize that we ourselves could not make one?” I agree with this because many humans believe we have a lot of control over some things, when in reality a lot of things are out of our control. He also shows us that “I, Pencil, seemingly simple though I am, offer the miracle of my testimony as testimony that this is a practical faith”. From this last sentence of the paper, I got that something as simple as a pencil can have an effect on our faith, and how we view certain things
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Education in America Way of Life...Final
Americans do an average of 13 years of school, which can be considered as a major part of life. However when I asked a young black man what he thought the American way of life was, he replied “you have to do whatever it takes to survive, no matter how much authority or education you have, you always have to listen to what ‘they’ tell you”. This young black man clad in jeans and a baggy white t-shirt didn’t look like he had much going for himself, but tells me that education is basically a waste of time. His opinion on what it takes to succeed in America is being a “sucker, in America you always have to suck up to somebody to get ahead in life”. 
He believed that we have to suck up to the professor to get that better grade, but also to our boss to get that raise or promotion. When I asked a middle age Hispanic man the same question a couple of minutes later, he basically said “stay in school, it will help you a lot later on in life”. Two working class men with two totally different views on the part education take in the American way of life.
While talking to my high school principle Mr. Fanning, I saw how different his views were to the other people I interviewed. Even though as a young adult he chose his passion of music over education, he has since realized how his education has benefitted him. By getting an English degree, he has obtained this career which he loves. It may have not really been his dream, but it has become “his life”, and he wouldn’t trade it in for anything else. The first man I interviewed thought that education can’t really make a big difference in the American way of life. He believed that education is put on the backburner and succeeding in America is about “sucking up”, while Mr. fanning believes that it’s about getting an education in something you love, which in turn can make you love life more. Even though he did love music, and made a lot of money doing it, he also sees that his current life is more practical. Mr. Fanning being an educator, I expected this answer from him. But when my aunt gave a similar answer, it surprised me. She has just recently gone back to school fir her doctorates degree after working for HSBC for 19 years. Even though she does think that education is very important in the American way of life, she feels as if “society feels that education validates how smart you are…most people are born with natural talent and education helps to enhance that talent”. She somewhat disagrees with society view of education, and the fact that having a greater education means that you are smarter. Mr. Fanning believes that getting an education can cause you to love something, while my aunt believes you can get a degree in something you love and make it work for you.
“Education will help you succeed if you acquire as much knowledge as possible on what it is you want to do in life. That will lead to a better job/career hence a better way of life”, she in turn believes this is what most Americans strive for. This would be her definition of the American way of life, even though many Americans aren’t able to obtain it.
¾ of the people I interviewed believed that education was a huge part in American society, while 1/4 thought that education can’t really help us in achieving our ideal life. The people around me think that the American way of life is mainly to be happy with life. However when they said life, they were mainly referring to a career. Most believed that a career can lead you to happiness, or defines it in a way. They agree with the fact that education can indeed lead to a better life/career, and this is one of the main ways they would define the American way of life…as education.
He believed that we have to suck up to the professor to get that better grade, but also to our boss to get that raise or promotion. When I asked a middle age Hispanic man the same question a couple of minutes later, he basically said “stay in school, it will help you a lot later on in life”. Two working class men with two totally different views on the part education take in the American way of life.
While talking to my high school principle Mr. Fanning, I saw how different his views were to the other people I interviewed. Even though as a young adult he chose his passion of music over education, he has since realized how his education has benefitted him. By getting an English degree, he has obtained this career which he loves. It may have not really been his dream, but it has become “his life”, and he wouldn’t trade it in for anything else. The first man I interviewed thought that education can’t really make a big difference in the American way of life. He believed that education is put on the backburner and succeeding in America is about “sucking up”, while Mr. fanning believes that it’s about getting an education in something you love, which in turn can make you love life more. Even though he did love music, and made a lot of money doing it, he also sees that his current life is more practical. Mr. Fanning being an educator, I expected this answer from him. But when my aunt gave a similar answer, it surprised me. She has just recently gone back to school fir her doctorates degree after working for HSBC for 19 years. Even though she does think that education is very important in the American way of life, she feels as if “society feels that education validates how smart you are…most people are born with natural talent and education helps to enhance that talent”. She somewhat disagrees with society view of education, and the fact that having a greater education means that you are smarter. Mr. Fanning believes that getting an education can cause you to love something, while my aunt believes you can get a degree in something you love and make it work for you.
“Education will help you succeed if you acquire as much knowledge as possible on what it is you want to do in life. That will lead to a better job/career hence a better way of life”, she in turn believes this is what most Americans strive for. This would be her definition of the American way of life, even though many Americans aren’t able to obtain it.¾ of the people I interviewed believed that education was a huge part in American society, while 1/4 thought that education can’t really help us in achieving our ideal life. The people around me think that the American way of life is mainly to be happy with life. However when they said life, they were mainly referring to a career. Most believed that a career can lead you to happiness, or defines it in a way. They agree with the fact that education can indeed lead to a better life/career, and this is one of the main ways they would define the American way of life…as education.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
first draft of AWOL assignment 3
Aja Hanna
October 10, 2008
Americans do an average of 13 years of school, which can be considered as a major part of life. However when I asked a middle age white business man what did he think the American way of life was, he replied “Everything in this country is about money, however wealth and greed is ruining whatever this country has left.” This was a surprising answer, because he looked like a wealthy man himself. He failed to mention what it took to become wealthy, or how much work it takes. When I asked a middle age Hispanic man the same question a couple of minutes later, he basically said “stay in school, it will help you a lot later on in life.” According to the middle age Hispanic man, having a good education will lead me to a better life, while the rich white man believes that wealth is the only thing that Americans need. He doesn’t think that an education may be the best thing to lead us to wealth, but it is something that all Americans try to obtain.
While talking to my high school principle Mr. Fanning, I saw his view on education in America and how he thinks it affects the American way of life. Even though as a young adult he chose his passion of music over education, he has since realized how his education has benefitted him. By getting an English degree, he has obtained this career which he loves. It may have not really been his dream, but it has become “his life”, and he wouldn’t trade it in for anything else. The first man I interviewed thought that America was mainly about obtaining wealth, while Mr. fanning believes that it’s about getting an education in something you love. Even though he did love music, and made a lot of money doing it, he also sees that his current life is more practical.
October 10, 2008
Americans do an average of 13 years of school, which can be considered as a major part of life. However when I asked a middle age white business man what did he think the American way of life was, he replied “Everything in this country is about money, however wealth and greed is ruining whatever this country has left.” This was a surprising answer, because he looked like a wealthy man himself. He failed to mention what it took to become wealthy, or how much work it takes. When I asked a middle age Hispanic man the same question a couple of minutes later, he basically said “stay in school, it will help you a lot later on in life.” According to the middle age Hispanic man, having a good education will lead me to a better life, while the rich white man believes that wealth is the only thing that Americans need. He doesn’t think that an education may be the best thing to lead us to wealth, but it is something that all Americans try to obtain.
While talking to my high school principle Mr. Fanning, I saw his view on education in America and how he thinks it affects the American way of life. Even though as a young adult he chose his passion of music over education, he has since realized how his education has benefitted him. By getting an English degree, he has obtained this career which he loves. It may have not really been his dream, but it has become “his life”, and he wouldn’t trade it in for anything else. The first man I interviewed thought that America was mainly about obtaining wealth, while Mr. fanning believes that it’s about getting an education in something you love. Even though he did love music, and made a lot of money doing it, he also sees that his current life is more practical.
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