Beware Of Backlash

After reading "The History Teacher", I have been thinking a lot about crossing that extremely fine line. The line between, protecting someone and lying to them. Most would agree that this so called teacher was ignoring all the important and painful truths and essentially lying to his students. By doing this, this man is completely undermining his job as a history teacher. Because why do we learn history? To remember tragedies and learn from our mistakes to make sure these things never happen again. The students in the poem were already showing signs of aggression and cruelty. Without proper instruction they simply cannot learn. Santa Clause and the Tooth Fairy can be debated over, but history can absolutely not be glossed over and changed.

Ok, Now Say It With A Semicolon

Punctuation has an ever-important value in the ever-changing world of today because it promotes clarity and style in an organized and easily comprehendible fashion.  Hitching states that “rules for grammar and punctuation are vital for clear, effective and consistent communication” (Source A). Punctuation enables different generations to communicate easily by using the standard set of rules and regulations; without them mass confusion and headaches would ensue. Standard punctuation acts as the structure of a piece and creates a mutual agreement of what the meaning is. For example, in science the metric system exists so people can communicate their ideas to each other in a standard, accepted format. Punctuation acts as this for the literary world.  People who see no value in standard punctuation state that punctuation is “feigning liberation with one hand and tightening the leash with another” (Source B), by limiting creativity and expressive thought. This is untrue, punctuation is a tool used to highlight the meanings and ideas the marks are placed around; the actual words are what the creativity should stem from, the punctuation merely helps provide organization for the author’s insightful thoughts.  Punctuation prevents rambling and adds clarity, this is why “semicolons, along with a sack full of commas are… vital tools in keeping… the “stream of thought” from appearing to the reader as a wild torrent” (Source E). Punctuation is a tool that is used in shaping literature and is something that needs to remain constant in an ever-changing world.

From The Inside Out

There's that pain again.

You know the one.

An ever present pain.

Gnawing
Gnawing
Gnawing away at you.

You're always paranoid
Frightened
Scared
Panicked

Of what?

Someone finding out...

Your Secret

This feeling has been present in every human being at sometime. A feeling of intense guilt that just builds inside your chest characterized by a dull ache or squeezing feeling. Guilt. A horrible problem with an overly simple solution. Let it out. Tell the truth. If it is so easy why does this awful pain still affect people today? Consequences is the reason. The actual act of telling is not hard, but rather what comes after that. The moment after. The day after. The year after. People harbor this emotion because they live in fear of the changed glances they will endure after the truth has been told. This is an unfortunate catch 22. If you tell your secret you are subject to the stares, the ridicule, the shame. But, if you stay silent...

You destroy yourself from the inside

And will never get out.

Do What You Say, Say What You Mean

One thing leads to another.

Connotation of words and the deliberate manipulation of the words can be seen everywhere we look in the world today. Whether they are used to persuade someone to join a side or get the person to buy something they are used. The very act of simply stating the truth or giving an idea without any fancy forms of deception is unheard of these days. This sounds very harsh, but it does not have to be. Deception has very negative connotation. I could have used another word, but chose that one to persuade you to agree with me. I unknowingly inserted a loaded word into my very post talking about the over use of loaded words. This just proves how easy and natural it is for us to dress writings up for only our benefit. "Say what you mean" is now an almost impossible task, for we cannot help, but put a spin on things for our own gain.