Not All Monkeys

If there is anything society has taught me in the last sixteen years, it is that to be different is to be wrong. As a collective whole, our views are geared towards conformity and comfort. To hold value, we must lock away any part of our persona that doesn’t fit into present-day unrealistic standards. Being a student in high school, I’ve experienced firsthand the ideals that have been set for us. We are all expected to live up to the American Dream, but only if we’re deemed socially acceptable. We can all be geniuses, but only in math and science. This harmful system of beliefs is present throughout our country, and while many people might overlook the school system, it plays a bigger part than we may realize.

From a young age, it is instilled in us that certain subjects hold more value over others, that specific career paths are more desirable simply because of their pay. But how many talented kids did we inadvertently undermine in the attempt to make this country our definition of “perfect?” Students are measured by how well they perform on a standard set of classes. They are given assessments on subjects they might have no passion for. Our education system is catering to a specific group of kids, and the consequences are that for every one kid that becomes successful, another twenty fail. 

As the great intellectual Albert Einstein once said, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” With the rigid set of rules that our schools follow, we essentially tell our students, who could be fish, flamingos, even hippos, that they have failed as individuals because they could not climb a tree. But not everyone is a monkey, and we have to recognize that. We are all talented in our own ways, and we can all be successful on our own terms. As a society, we have to acknowledge each other’s differences and support them, not inundate them with prejudice.

While our schools may not recognize the value of our individual selves, it shouldn’t stop us from living our lives to the fullest. Take your time to find out who you truly are and what you want. Have you always had an affinity for art? Take that class you’ve had your eye on. If you enjoy cooking, go to culinary school! Don’t undersell yourself for anything, even the little decisions. The next time the forecast is cloudy, go outside and dance in the rain to your favorite song. Put on that silly Christmas hat you love, even though it’s only the beginning of August. Be yourself and remember, we’re not all monkeys.

Reviews

[heravinluca]

Thank you for sharing your inspiration. I really like your expression