Thoughts Behind...

Dear Giannina Braschi, Reading your "Empire of Dreams," I can't help but note how much of a nightmare our society has become--or, likely, has always been. With the rise of attention toward Asian American hate crimes, it seems that America has been overtaken by racism and violence. Over thirty years ago, you wrote this collection of poems. Today, statistics tell us that we are crawling toward a future of white people losing their position as the majority. But immigrants are still seen as those same aliens that have "invaded" America like those shepherds you once wrote about did. Is this the sacrifice we make to achieve the American Dream? As generations before us say, it's a price we are lucky to pay. The Empire of Dreams seems to be our American Dream imperialized and oppressed by American culture. What kind of response did your poetry illicit? Was it interpreted as a radical outburst? How much attention did it garner from nonimmigrants? I am trying to disti...

Tumultuous avalanches and  tumultuous thought We are our own destruction. Poke at its volatility and it might just come down. In this endless cycle called global warming or it could be in this restless state of mind swarming. What's next? The continuation of a journey for success? So snow will pile down or  maybe none at all. So our shoulders will droop down with faces appalled. Why can't we live  correctly, simply, strongly? Do good, be good. Don't look good and just say good. What is good? Let life be decorated with simplicity and the world as well. Clean the mind, clean the ground.

Is it an ideal?  A matter of nature?  Nurture? No. It's a title. It's like a blurb--a sneak peek--but it's so much more. It forms the framework of the mind, or as psychologists may compare it to, the schema. Titles fit into a single phrase or even a single word, yet have the ability to transform our entire interpretation of a set of text. And it's fascinating- that one addition can change our entire perspective of a situation, a person, and, of course, a poem. That's how we work. We tend to identify someone by a lasting impression. She could've been a friend for years, but if someone told me she did something wicked, I would be wary. This beach could be beautiful, but if someone told me there were chemicals embedded in the sand, I would be wary. Even political theories that I'm adamant about--I could easily become doubtful if someone dealt me new information. On the contrary, when someone informs me of new positive information, it goes beyond adding informat...

They chanted His name. We chant his name. They strived to be like God. We strive to be God. I started reading this book called  Homo Deus: the history of tomorrow  by Yuval Noah Harari. It takes a twist on Homo Sapiens, and instead, evolves humans into diety. Outrageous, right? Except that's what humankind as a whole is doing, not just Harari. As humans, we strive to know more every day. We pluck an apple off of the Tree of Knowledge because we remain unsatiated by what we have. It's not necessarily greed because we aim to improve and prevent hardship. Although we don't aim to be God, we step toward God with every point of growth we experience. A prime example of this is in technology. My mom told me that she used to wonder if universal video calling would be possible. Well, just yesterday, I spoke to my friend from across the world, connecting in a matter of seconds. Today, I wonder if roads full of self-driving cars are possible. Inconceivable , I think, but who knows wha...

Besides the obvious displeasure that I find in badly behaved children, one of the things that worries the most about having kids is raising them right. In recent weeks, my blog has taken a religious turn, so it comes to no one’s surprise that I’ve prayed in an attempt to find wisdom as I will one day become a parent. But let’s discuss the physical steps to raising a good child. I’m a sucker for self-help so maybe I’ll dabble into writing some too (as much as a childless seventeen-year-old can): Encourage. I’ve found obvious evidence that intrinsic motivation and encouragement outweigh punishment. Instill confidence and high self-esteem in your kids yourself. I can guarantee that in my case, any athletic ability I hold is not innate. It comes from my dad ridiculously complimenting my lousy baseball throwing skills at a young age. After believing that I was good at throwing, I started trying harder and getting better. It’s all mental. Have trust.      In Purple Hibiscus...

"Father Benedict usually referred to the Pope, Papa, and Jesus- in that order." *Doubletake* Is this some sore sort of variation of the Holy Trinity? As a Christian, reading Purple Hibiscus  makes me uneasy. Papa, a pious Christian, physically abuses his wife. Aren't Christians supposed to be moral? Yes, I'm not close to being perfect (in fact, why I believe Jesus to be my savior), but seeing the blatant hypocrisy of Papa and many other church leaders is questionable. He may donate and be mentioned in the priest's sermons, but don't be deluded, that's not what Christianity entails. I've seen it myself. In a Korean church full of tradition, there's a sort of order that must be kept. Bow to the pastors and highly esteemed elders. Invite church leaders for dinner. Give generously. Yet despite my performative respect I offer to such leaders, I've heard of the church politics, financial disputes, and personal stories behind facades. I hope I'm n...

Despite being in AP Lit and not AP Lang, I've written more in the past four months than I've ever written in my life. That comes to no one's surprise, though. It was college application season! Yes, I wouldn't call it exactly enjoyable , but, in retrospect, I look at this experience with excitement. Let me say, I used to fear  essays. I feared writing. I feared racking through my mind to describe thoughts with words that didn't quite suffice. Just the thought of a paper planted a pit of dread in my stomach. But thanks to this blog, I've found my voice and inevitably developed it as I shared about myself with colleges that don't even know my face. I've channeled my genuine sentiments and expressed them through the nuances of each word, something I couldn't do just five months ago.  With prompts dumbfounding me, I was forced to scrutinize my personality and conjure a character for myself. And to my surprise, I got creative. I stretched trivial traits i...