Journal #3: "The Irony of Education"

Many Canadian teenagers drop out of high school nowadays. As an observer, I've noticed that a large amount of the high school population treat school as a chore, instead of a duty, and usually end up taking off to live a "funner" life. Two or three years later, they are back at their old high school, trying to earn their diploma three years behind schedule. Why is it that my culture, in North America, seems to take the education system for granted? I've come to think of it as a blessing for most people. School is a place where students can feel safe, and comforted. They make friends, and learn how to have healthy relationships. Think of your life without having ever gone to school. What would it consist of? All-day marathons of your favourite cartoons, and never getting to know the nature of society? Even students who think their "too good" for the school system must admit: school has plenty of advantages.

We, as a nation, do not value or appreciate our privileges in the same way that students in other countries do. North America has always been at the top of the food chain. We are an extremely wealthy and powerful country, certainly more wealthy and powerful than those in a place such as Africa. I don't want to be part of a society that does not offer warmth and shelter (physically and emotionally) to those in need. My hero, Madonna, recently started work on a girls school in Malawi to be opened in 2012. She understands that education truly is a privilege, and wants the people of Malawi to have it too. Contrastingly, I can't see the children in Malawi ever taking school for granted; as they deal with starvation, poverty, sickness, and other positions unimaginable to us, schools and teachers will surely be true saints and saviours to them.

North America is greedy. And that's all. We don't value the things that we should. It is sad that all we do with our power is reign above, instead of lend a hand. We've become too preoccupied with materialism, and have forgotten the true human spirit of love and care. If money makes that much of a difference, why hasn't sharing been the option all along? We have never lived in poverty; we have never lived without financial aid. Perhaps Canada should starve for awhile, and have to deal with child deaths every 30 seconds. If our country learned the suffering endured across seas, and the strength that it takes to even continue breathing, then perhaps this part of the world would act out in compassion. I feel that if we had to live that way, our country would find more love in their hearts to give. Our country can expect to live in guilt if we can never answer the call. Because that call is my call as well.