In our society, every culture included, change is inevitable. With this inevitability, I believe there comes necessity as well. Although I believe change is necessary, there are many who find it hard to accept. This can be seen throughout acclaimed literature, various sources of media, and our everyday lifestyles. Collectively, as human society, we find change an extremely difficult concept to grasp. Why is this? We grow so accustomed to what we feel comfortable with. We find this comfort in stability and this stability is built off of the assurance that life goes according to plan and no bumps in the road are ever made. However, we know from experience this does not typically go as planned. I think we have to be accepting of change because it is what shapes and molds our society throughout history. For most, it is much harder to understand change than it is for others and examples of this can be seen in such work as “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe. The main character, Okonkwo, is faced with change head on. As a group of foreign white men bring new traditions and concepts of life to his Nigerian home village, Okonkwo grows uncomfortable with the unfamiliarity that the men bear and is unaccepting of any change, good or bad. Others in his town, including his own son, Nwoye, are quite the opposite as he. In fact, they seek this change and find comfort in the different traditions. Okonkwo, in my real world example, represents the men in our world who may be afraid of what change will bring. He could also represent the men who are so intertwined in their own lifestyle, that they are blind to seeing the need of change. On the other hand, Nwoye represents the men in our society who anticipate change, and expect and accept it as it comes. It’s important to be like Nwoye for several reasons. Yes, the foreign men could have had ulterior motives. Yes, they could have wanted the land. But, whether it be these white men swooping in and revising things in the villages, or some other force, it was time for change. In my opinion, acceptance of this change, in both Okonkwo’s world and ours, is the first and most important step towards societal progression.
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
One of the hardest things to accept. Change.
In our society, every culture included, change is inevitable. With this inevitability, I believe there comes necessity as well. Although I believe change is necessary, there are many who find it hard to accept. This can be seen throughout acclaimed literature, various sources of media, and our everyday lifestyles. Collectively, as human society, we find change an extremely difficult concept to grasp. Why is this? We grow so accustomed to what we feel comfortable with. We find this comfort in stability and this stability is built off of the assurance that life goes according to plan and no bumps in the road are ever made. However, we know from experience this does not typically go as planned. I think we have to be accepting of change because it is what shapes and molds our society throughout history. For most, it is much harder to understand change than it is for others and examples of this can be seen in such work as “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe. The main character, Okonkwo, is faced with change head on. As a group of foreign white men bring new traditions and concepts of life to his Nigerian home village, Okonkwo grows uncomfortable with the unfamiliarity that the men bear and is unaccepting of any change, good or bad. Others in his town, including his own son, Nwoye, are quite the opposite as he. In fact, they seek this change and find comfort in the different traditions. Okonkwo, in my real world example, represents the men in our world who may be afraid of what change will bring. He could also represent the men who are so intertwined in their own lifestyle, that they are blind to seeing the need of change. On the other hand, Nwoye represents the men in our society who anticipate change, and expect and accept it as it comes. It’s important to be like Nwoye for several reasons. Yes, the foreign men could have had ulterior motives. Yes, they could have wanted the land. But, whether it be these white men swooping in and revising things in the villages, or some other force, it was time for change. In my opinion, acceptance of this change, in both Okonkwo’s world and ours, is the first and most important step towards societal progression.
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