The turning point

499110301 Peggy

Make choice can be difficult by itself, but when the decision involves either work or studies can become even harder to decide. What would you choice when you comes to this cross road? This life-major-decision has exists since man-kind started to pay attention on education. In western world, I think the exact time started at the 14 century, the Renaissance. The century traders earned much more money than they used to have because of the discovery of Maritime navigation routes. Traders found spices, coffee, silk, and other stuff they never seen before from the eastern world. The extra money gives them power to buy paintings and expensive hand-scrip books. I assumed, at first, curiosity makes them to read. Then, people realize the value of knowledge. At that time, church worked as college, many universities named after churches, saints, or clergies. In the opposite, in the eastern world, studies become the priority. People usually think the more books been read, the better position would get at work. Businessman considered a lower occupation in the past in eastern world. This occupation took by those family did not belong to nobilities. Only nobilities can go to privet schools, and had money to buy hand-scrip books carved on bamboo. Things changed, people start to believe the power of money. Although, in the history, money always the rote of corruption. Just like the story of Garden of Eden. Curiosity, greedy, and the eagerness of gaining power, people start rely on money and gold. One thing rise, another goes down. People stop believe in studies, the old way of get a job. Compare the western and the eastern world in the past. The order of value on economy level or studies level comes out to be the most obvious differences. Now a

days, most people use studies as a tool of gaining fortune. In my opinion, people who live in the eastern world work very hard on studies, but blindly. For example, my brother, Frank, he studied every subject harder than anyone else on his class. Until midnight, his light still not off. This does pay back, he always in the top three in his class. But, he believes every single word teachers said. Studies should affect our life by giving us the abilities of thinking. Philosophers existed before money and class. Now, money and class replaced them, and take over man-kind. I think studies and philosophy not only live in the school, but also in our daily life. People learn about how to support ourselves, materially and spiritually. The balance has been losing itself since people cares more about how wealthy people can be. Society surveys those who make billions, but no one cares about those who invent or read. I do like money, but I do not care about it. Books, movies, art, and music stand higher position to me. Reality can be cruel, without money, all the things above cant be a life. So, according what I had just said, kind of conflicting to each other. Or, you can say rely on each other. The purpose of studies confuses. I have always hated the education system in Taiwan. At day-one in a new semester, I have always been very exciting about doing something different. But, despair grows in the following days. I turn into the same old cynical me again. We kids have been shaped into some kinds of model. The purpose of make us the exactly the same. So we can become one of the tiny little objects of this whole industrial system. Make a little money for ourselves, trying to make ends meet. Forget why we studies. I admit maybe the reason why I hate the education system because of my weird personality. Exactly the same routine everyday does drive me crazy. Teachers in schools become fossils. Their brain killed by what they had learned. And, they try to kill ours by what had already killed theirs. My hatred to this whole factory school mind, made me became the worst student to my junior high and seiner high teachers.

I admit I do show careless attitude to them. But, the whole point of learn something, I couldnt find it in my school-years. Even now, I cant understand why I have to study, beside get a good job by diploma. For some people maybe it could be a faire enough reason, not for me. My parents and my English tutor had always told me, I will find my answer when I enter a college, or at less I will feel better. The fact turns out differently. I get even more confusing. Those famous, successful people all think differently, I assumed. For example, the most common example teacher would take, Bill Gates. People think his success all because of his fortune. Not only he born as a smart guy, but he thinks differently. If we can all allow thinking differently, maybe there would be millions of Bill Gates. Studies should provide options for as to find what interested us. Bill Gates certainly found what he likes. Last year, in summer, I saw a movie called Le hrisson. The main character, the little girl thinking the same thing I have always thoguht of. It feels creepy. Like someone enter my brain, and copy the whole thing. My intelligent not as smart as she has, but we kind of share the same ideas. Paloma, the little girl, wants to end her life after her 12-year-old birthday. Why would she do that? This world doesnt give her a good reason to stay longer. The grown-ups world sick her. All too fake, too vine. Her parents marriage contents nothing, but money. The grown-ups world doesnt make any sense to both of us, Paloma and I. I never understand why people studies so hard, but never think about it twice. Why dont people second guess the motive about studies and making money? All these questions have always stuck in my head. People always say, get a nice job, and make a good living. A good life should stand in the higher place than making money. But, the reality shows the totally the converse way. And, what exactly mean a good life? If this so important, than why dont people think about a good life could possibly mean. Few months before, I

saw a movie, called The Art of Getting By . I find myself shocked. The movie shows exactly how I have always felt. The uncertainty of future, the careless attitude for life, the interest for art, reflect me from the screen. All the things I talk about above, I give a conclusion. Human being is lucky and unfortunate at the same time because of our thinking ability. We people should take the help of studies, find our own way. Settle down can become a good choice, if only that fill the goal.