Kalliopi Lambrinoudis, Period 6, 2/25/23

 Modern Mythology 2023

Kalliopi Lambrinoudis PD 6  2/15/23

As I get older, I come to realize that life isn’t always fair. People around the world face poverty, illness, discrimination, and many other hardships for reasons that were never under their control. At the same time, many people enjoy luxuries that they didn’t earn. Unfortunately, these same people sometimes look down on the less fortunate because they see them as “undeserving”. I argue that the reason for this is not because people as individuals are unkind or apathetic, but because of the world that we live in and how we are taught to think. Still, this prejudice hinders growth.

Sometimes, we don't even realize that we have biases or assumptions that affect the way we think or act. It's important to be aware of these and to try to be open-minded and learn from different perspectives. We must be willing to self-reflect. 

  It’s important to think about these issues and how they affect people. We can do this by examining our own beliefs and experiences and how they might influence the way we see others. We can learn from people who are different from us and try to understand their perspectives. By doing this, we can work towards making things more fair for everyone.

It can be uncomfortable to challenge our own beliefs and assumptions, but it's important to do so if we want to create a more fair and just society. This process of self-reflection is ongoing and requires us to be willing to learn and grow. I also admit that there have been times where I realized I was judging others too harshly. One particular discussion during class during our Grendel unit made me realize this. As people, we judge others based on their mannerisms and appearance, similar to how the humans in the story judged Grendel based off of his. This is because we are taught that certain behaviors and appearances are “right” and others are not, and we deem those who don’t fit into certain standards as abnormal and treat them less than human. However, we often don’t consider the fact that these aren’t things to judge people holistically off of. These judgements are the reason for pressing issues such as classism, ableism, racism, sexism, etc. By becoming aware of my own way of thinking, I was able to become more open minded and accepting of others. I also think that this mindset will help solve the political and social divide in our country, if others choose to adapt it.  

In conclusion, while it can be difficult to confront our own biases and assumptions, it is necessary for personal growth and for creating a more just society. By being willing to self-reflect and learn from others, we can work towards a better future for all. It is up to us to challenge the status quo and strive for a world where everyone is treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their background or circumstances.