Alex+A’s+Final+AmEx+2014+Speech

=Act of Selflessness=

It only takes one act. One act which could be through a small gesture, a generous remark, or just a few words. Maybe even just one. The United States we live in today is rather unneighborly in my opinion. A lot of people keep to themselves and their own problems sometimes, which is fine, but it can get to the point in which nobody else would matter in their opinion. They begin to become self-centered, and selfish in believing their problems are bigger than anyone else’s. They begin to lose perspective. That perspective is that everybody matters in this world. We are all here together, but we have grown alienated by some people. We may just have one group of friends, but how great would it feel to be friends with everyone in this school. To feel that we all know eachother. To feel that we can all talk to eachother. To feel that you are comfortable to talk to anyone about your problems. To not have to worry about anyone judging you, or bullying you. To actually feel safe. Sadly, in the America we live in today, it doesn’t seem realistic. What happened? Well, we became divided. Why did we become divided? We began to believe difference changed everything. A rich man has a hard time connecting to a poor man, and it’s because in some cases, he can’t relate. They could have completely different struggles, and all too often, the rich man won’t aid the poor man, and it could be a sense of not knowing what the poor man would do with his money, but it could also be the selfish thoughts of the rich man that since the poor man doesn’t hold any real difference in his life, that it wouldn’t matter. The rich man could also think, it’s the poor man’s fault he’s in this predicament. But, how do you know? The fact is, you don’t know, so why is it considered. You don’t know. You just have no idea. So, why do you put a label on somebody you don’t know? People put labels on other people because they’re different, and that it somehow decides a person’s importance. Now, there are a lot of generous people, and I know there are. But, why can’t more people be that way. We need to become more neighborly. We need to become more understanding. We need to care. Get rid of the selfish act because the best way for our society to be connected is if we let go of selfishness, and take note of selflessness. I’m tired of seeing people taken advantage of. Like when Vanderbilt and his Transcontinental Railroad exploited workers, as well as when Rockefeller and his Standard Oil put other businesses in the oil industry out of business. Throughout our history, it can be noted that humans have been selfish. Greed is what makes a person selfish. Some people believe that money is the most important thing, but what it does is it derives perspective. The perspective that other people need a hand. If everyone does everything for themselves, then we wouldn’t be a society, but rather creatures of our own habitat, in our own universe of isolation. The reason why we have been so accomplished today is because we have worked as a team and as a whole, but we are being held back by our own reasoning and lack of understanding. We lack very crucial rights of equality in our society, and it’s because we continue to think for ourselves and not for anyone else. If you wear nice slick shoes, that’s fine, but if you aren’t wearing those torn up rag-like shoes that haven’t been replaced because of economic problems, then who are you to judge those who wear them. You haven’t been in their shoes. Literally. I love to see people stand up for others. There has been times when I stood up for others. There were also times when others stood up for me. I don’t forget people like that who can put others before themselves. I see it as hope. The hope that there isn’t a lack of selfless people in this world. I have an easy time trusting people with certain things. It may not always be a good thing that I do, but I just have that automatic thought that I should give this person the benefit of the doubt. I don’t want to fear the world, although I do know there’s bad in this world. I can see it on the news every day. But, if you lose faith that people can be good, the world will only ever seem bad. There is a time and place for caution. I know that there’s always the chance that somebody could hurt me, but it doesn’t mean I want to hold in my mind that every time somebody wants to hurt me. I just hope I don’t have to see somebody try to take away that hope. I want to live comfortably, and that’s what I want for everyone as well. I stand before a great crowd of people today. You guys are a great group of people, and while there may be the arguments and disagreements that people were divided on, we all worked through the year together in this class. I may not be able to relate to you guys on everything, but I’m glad I could relate to you guys on something. I took the American Experience class too. Now, in the America I want to grow old in, I want more unity and less selfish behavior. I want the greed that poisons the business industry to wither away and I don’t want people to be exploited. I want people to stop judging and start understanding and showing that the human race doesn’t have to behave like wild animals, but rather behave like a compassionate and reasonable race. I want people to be more selfless. I want to know that my trust in someone wasn’t for nothing. I came upon a very interesting quote by DMX, who’s a famous rapper, from one of his songs, and I like what meaning it holds for those who face a struggle with those who judge. The quote goes, “Look through my eyes, see what I see, do as I do, be what I be, walk in my shoes, hurt your feet, and know why I lurk the streets.”

=Cite Your Sources=