History has lessons for us all

I thought that it would be interesting to elaborate on this particular writing topic. I really like history. I’m not what one would call an expert at history, but I find it to be an interesting topic of study. I feel that it is important that one knows and understands the events that have taken place. Especially those negative things, because if we don’t learn from the things that have taken place, there is a very high possibility that we will find ourselves repeating those things. I think that the statement about history being a narrative of a person who may, intentionally, or unintentionally, leave things out is something to really think about. I guess people really can’t help it when they leave something out unintentionally. But it does bother me to learn that people leave out information on purpose, and I’m especially bothered when those things are left out on purpose. I guess in the end, it is completely up to that person which information they wish to divulge, but I think when it comes to the benefit or safety of others, that person should be responsible enough to tell what needs to be told. A couple of semesters ago, I was taking a history class on American history to be exact. We had to write a term paper, and he had mentioned a subject that we could go into. That subject was dealing with world war II, but more specifically the Pearl Harbor and the events that had led up to the event. He had mentioned, that the codes had been known before the attack had taken place, but still nobody told the necessary people, and nothing really seemed to be done about it. I guess some would call this just a conspiracy theory, but after I had done the research myself, I had come to the conclusion that this had to be truth. And for many years, people had been led to believe that the attacks from the Japanese on Pearl Harbor were a complete surprise, but many years later, when certain documentation was allowed to be released, the truth comes out that it was not a total surprise. To many there that day, it was of course a surprise, but there were influential people involved that had prior knowledge to the plans, and refused to do anything about. Some would argue that this would have something to do with getting the United States involved in the war. Because before this had happened, most Americans were opposed to the idea of entering into the war over in Europe, but once the attack happened, it threw the United States right into the war. Makes sense to me when I think about it. After my research on the topic, I was really amazed at what had happened, but at the same time not really all that surprised. I think that there are so many things out there that aren’t really as they seem. I think the best thing to do, to separate fact from fiction, is not just take somebody’s word for it, but do the research for yourself.

Like a car crash

I thought that It would be interesting to write about something and to use metaphors in it. I may not be the best at writing metaphors, but I really do like them. I think that they can be used as good and effective writing tools. I had to think for a while, in order to figure out what I would write about. I think that a good allegory to having your heart broken by somebody or ending a relationship and then relating it to getting into a car accident. From my observations, I see that is true in many ways. Car accidents come in varying degrees. You can come out of a car accident with not a scratch. As with some who end relationships and hardly think a thing of it. Then there are those sorts of car accidents that leave a great deal of damage, trauma, and a totaled car is another outcome of it. This can be related to those people who have come to an end of a relationship, and are suffering a great deal of hurt, confusion, and loss from it. Car accidents take place rather often, as with hurt in relationships. Car accidents are at most times a great surprise to a person. Many times the person really doesn’t even see it coming, and when they do take note of what is about to take place, few people even have time to brace themselves for the impact. And so it is with ending relationships sometimes. Well there is a slight difference, when it comes to a relationship that is on its way to an end, there usually is some sort of sign or indication as to what is about to happen. But then , of course, there are those instances where it comes as a complete surprise, and the person really doesn’t even have the time to brace themselves for the full impact of what is about to take place. After a car accident has taken place, especially when a person has been rear-ended, there is a great deal of pain that takes place in the weeks or months to follow. Sometimes the pain may not really be all that noticeable at first, but in the days that follow, the pain becomes more noticeable and increases in strength. I think that there are similarities between this and the heartache that may follow after a break up. Yes there is the initial shock after a car accident has taken place, and the same can happen when a relationship has come to an end. And then the pain can last for a great while after the break up has taken place. Some car accidents are unavoidable, and many times the other person is the one that is at fault. But careful driving, and a careful selection of the vehicle driven can make accidents less tragic. As with relationships, a careful selection of a boy or girl friend, and being aware of one’s conduct in the relationship can prevent a good thing from coming to an end, and help lessen the pain when a relationship has ended.

Types

I believe that people do have types in some form or fashion. I think that people can have types by their outward appearances. It may something that the person is wearing that would have them be classified in a “type.” For instance, maybe if a person wears a lot black and large boots, and person may say they are a gothic or an emo type. I think that people can also be put in a type by the sorts of things that they like, or that they may be into. Whether it be music, reading, sports, and so on. I think it is somewhat hard to steer away from classifying or putting people into groups or types. I’m really not sure where types come from, or why people prefer certain types of men or women over other types. But I do find this sort of thing to be rather interesting. I think it is one of the things that makes mankind so unique. We’re given the power of choice, and with that choice we are able to make have our own unique preferences and we are able to make the choices we want from those preferences. Although I have come to see beauty and great things in many races and cultures, ( I only say many because I have not observed closely every single race and culture on this planet.)when it comes to what I look for in a man, I still have my preferences and the type or types that I am more attracted to. Because people are so different from each other, and vary in many different ways, certain “types” wouldn’t work well with others in my opinion. Or many different times, people tend to go for types that are more like their own selves. I don’t mean all the time, strangely enough, opposites do attract to one another at times. I really don’t see anything wrong with having these sorts of preferences. Like I said before, we all have our own preferences and I’m glad that we are able to make our own decisions about things like that. I think that it is ok as long as it does not lead to negative stereotypes. Here is when a problem can arise. I think that there can be a fine line between types and then stereotypes. According to Merriam Webster, stereotyping “a standardized mental picture that is held in common by members of a group and that represents an oversimplified opinion, prejudiced attitude, or uncritical judgment.” Parts of this definition does sound a lot like types. And the word itself does have the word “type” in it. The reason why I say that we should be careful of stereotyping people is that this can lead on to prejudice. This can lead to hatred or hostility toward a group. I think that the safe ground is when we can have our own preferences, but still be able to look at others and respect them even if they are different or not our “type.”

Then and Now

Looking back on how things were for women back in Virginia Woolf’s day, down to our time, there are many differences from then and now. This particular essay was written in the year 1928. So that means that this essay was only written eight years after women were granted the right to vote. So she clearly saw what life was like for her and other women before and after that historic date. On the second page where she looks up the passages from the historian, and talks about how wife beating , “was a recognized right of man..” I found that to be very interesting. We have come a long way from this sort of thing in our society today. You will get put in jail for doing such a thing these days. And it is something that is looked down upon in our culture. However; this sort of thing happens all the time even today. It may not be an accepted thing today, but it still happens. Things have changed a great deal, but I don’t think I could say that Woolf’s arguments in her essay are completely irrelevant today’s times. I think that the overall tone in this essay is one that can relate to our time. Women aren’t so down trodden these days, but there still remains a great issue. Last semester I had taken a class on Women in Business Organizations. I had taken it online, and sometimes with online classes there isn’t as much discussion on certain issues as there is when you are there in the classroom setting. But I still learned a great deal from that class. In some ways, women are still the underdog, and they still have many injustices that they are met with, especially when one considers the workplace. Even today, it is harder for a woman, than it is for a man, to climb up the ladder of success on the job. Today you will find that the greater majority of CEO’s and people in top management are men. It does seem to get better as the years go by, but hopefully this sort of thing will be more equal as the time progresses. When it comes to women in the home life, many changes have taken place from then and now. Women really aren’t expected to stay at home and be housewives anymore. Not that I see anything wrong with a housewife. I actually find it to be a high and noble work to stay at home and raise the children. But there are just as many women going to college and having careers as there are men. But with that there are still many jobs that are more gender-oriented. Which may not necessarily be a bad thing all the time. I think that the women’s liberation movement, along with the way our culture perceives women today has brought about many things, some good and some that I don’t particularly agree with. Overall the attitudes on women have improved greatly, and I hope it will continue to do so.