I found the required books for this course really,
really interesting, especially the Space
of Public Opinion and Nobody. The progression of the media’s reporting and
commenting about current news has changed so much with the advent of the
internet. It seemed like everyone tuned
into the nightly network news when I was a kid, but not I don’t really hear
anyone talking about last night’s broadcasts.
I can say that I don’t even know the names of the 3 major networks
evening broadcasters. We’ve switched
from trusting a knowledgeable news journalist or two to trusting sound bites provided
by basically anyone with a Twitter account. But honestly, what will stick with
me the most about the class is Hill’s book, Nobody.
Hill makes it so apparent that our country has done a lousy job of caring
for and providing opportunities for the most vulnerable. It’s an overwhelming reality that has absolutely
no easy solution. I only hope that our leaders and future leaders dedicate themselves
to creating solutions and that the rest of us will do our part to embrace and share
the American values we’ve all grown up to believe in.
Scout Finch was one lucky little girl. The wisdom bestowed upon her by Atticus surely helped her navigate through some very trying times. But Scout and her brother Jem aren’t the only people to learn from Atticus’ advice and life lessons. Anyone who reads To Kill a Mockingbird learns the importance of one of life’s most valuable soft skills: empathy, the ability to understand and share the feelings and emotions of others. My job as a high school English teacher entails working with students to become better communicators through reading, writing, speaking, and listening. But studying and discussing literature can do so much more. It’s vital that young people today develop empathy towards others in order to combat the polarization, discrimination, and intolerance currently at play in society. The study of literature and the lessons it imparts can help build empathy in our leaders of tomorrow. Recent studies on empathy have shown alarming results. For example, a University
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