Letter to the Editor: Challenging society

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

It’s sad how every individual who enters and exits my life grows into the epitome of what a typical human being is.

It’s the same thing time and time again. Humans giving into their humanistic biases — greed, hate and naivety. People influenced by the nonsensical propaganda of the media, the media that sets unrealistic standard of how thin one should be or the unreasonable belief that one has to be in possession of a college degree to succeed in life. I already know too many people who come to college because of this. It continually demeans the value of knowledge.

Why has society bought into this delusion? Because peoples’ eyes are closed; they have surrendered every shred of logic to the said biases above. They find themselves incapable of breaking free from the peer pressures of this media-tainted society.

And it is for that reason that I urge you to take a moment and ask yourself that one proverbial question: What truly matters in life? Forget what society has taught you, and for once in your life take a chance and believe in your own cognition. Disregard the delusion thrust upon you and consider the reality of the moment, of the future.

Consider one shred of logic that I have found universally true: There are no absolutes. Getting a college degree does not mean that you will indefinitely succeed in life; being thin doesn’t guarantee you a good self-image.

I dare challenge society. I dare ask the questions that should not be asked. I dare color outside the lines and not in the typical “anti-conformist” culture America has fostered. The question is: Do you?

— Ian Tan is a sophomore from Malaysia.

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