Look Ma, No Face

Soul shrinking. It sounds like something someone might use in a folktale or a myth, perhaps a story about Black Magic or Voodoo. In society, today, soul shrinking is so much more than that. Communication is a large component of human life, and without it, human life can lose much of it's meaning. Compare that to "shrinking from the world." Eerily, they are extremely similar, if not almost completely identical. For humans, the world is our outlet, and secluding oneself from such things can be devasting and catastrophic. In losing the things that are most important and most necessary in life, a person will lose herself. Without herself, her soul begins to leave too. Besides being involved or interacting with the world around you, speaking your mind and standing up for what you believe in is also a necessity. Otherwise, your often left feeling smothered or influenced, perhaps both. On several occasions, I have felt smothered and influenced by other people. I didn't have a face. I let them dictate the things around me and in my world, and consequently, I was unhappy and unwilling to participate in aspects of my own life. Fed up and frustrated, I took a stand and spoke my mind once. One time was the difference for me. Don't stifle yourself. The world is a great big outlet. The people of this world are the plugs. If we don't plug ourselves in, we have no power. We have no face.

Biting Your Tongue When It's Neccesary

I can recall numerous times that I have "bitten my tongue" to refrain from stating my true feelings. I am an avid advocate for the freedom of speech, but ironically, I also believe that there is a time and place for that freedom to be practiced.

I do agree with Loeb's quote. Anytime a person hides from his or her true feelings, they seem to eliminate a portion of their own personality. It is important for everyone to contribute to the world in some shape or form. However, how you choose to contribute your opinion to the world around you is what makes your contribution either valuable or a waste of time.

In a world where just about any phrase or idea has great chances of offending someone somewhere in the world, it is vital that people express themselves cautiously.

There have been a great number of times that I have remained silent over issues for fear that my argument was too big to even consider arguing. When everyone in your environment has the same opinion except for you, you tend to refrain from expressing your opposition to the popular opinion. (You referring to average people).

In writing this blog, I realize that I may be the exact kind of person that Loeb refers to in chapter one. I appreciate the courage of those who do voice their opinions about public issues, even though I do not voice my own. I am too afraid of offending others and being politically correct than simply saying what is on my mind. In today's society, this can be a good and a bad characteristic to possess. It is good that I do care about others enough to not want to offend them. On the contrary, the only successful people in today's world are usually those who are not afraid to express themselves publicly.

By completing these first few readings, I have learned something new about myself and I have also identified the amount of courage it take to speak publicly about certain issues. This book alone could turn out to be an adventure in and of itself.

--Janetta Pierce

Why Be SILENT?

"When we shrink from the world, our souls shrink, too" is a qoute that we all can look at and wonder if we are shrinknig or are we letting ourselves be a part of this world. If we let people speak for us we allow them to act for us too.Not only do our souls shrink as we let the world take over but we forget that we have a voice and a powerful one if that. As Loeb described Virginias story i couldnt help but to think that are thousands of people like her and that dont want to pursue their voice. Only a limited amount of people actually followthrough and get involved. If we allow ourselves to let go of our fears and jump in we can do amazing things. I also like the quote from Thomas Merton describing that our "souls are like athletes" "That need opponents worthy of them if they are to be tried and extended and pushed to their full use of their powers." I think this quote is relevant becasue it is so true, if speak out and stand up for greater things our "souls" will be tested and used to its ability. Speaking out is a gift that everone has but only a few use. We should try to use that gift as much as possible, if we dont somebody will for us and then our voice isnt heard. I do think it is better to speak out at any moment becasue you never know when your next chance is going to be.

The Perfect Moment Chapter 2

I would agree with the book that too many of us wait for the perfect moment to do something great with our lives. A specific point that stood out to me was the civil disobedience protest. When the judge asked if they had any prior arrests and the protesters answer Birmingham and Salem. The judge said not those they were good arrest. However, if we think back to the 60s those arrest were not considered good protest by some. Now we look back on them as being important to civil rights progress. We find excuses to not help at the food bank or give blood. From personally experience I know I have waited for the perfect moment. I always tell myself I going to do this or that and can't find the time to do it; because, it is on a weekend or it to early in the morning. We need to make time to volunteer at events we think are important. I was surprised that Dr. King got a C on his Philosophy test. I believe the author included this fact to prove his point that historical leaders are not these perfect people we believe them to be. They were regular people like us that, acted on their passion. They did not wait for the perfect moment; they made the perfect moment.

We are not sheep

I believe Loeb has hit the nail right on the head with this quote. It damages our soul if we do not speak up for what we believe in and not act on what plagues our mind. To “shrink from the world” is to let the world win, to let others make the decisions for you. Not only is it the easy way out but it bottles up your feelings and your beliefs. “It is the determination to protect our sense of who we are that leads us to risk criticism, alienation, and serious loss while most others, similarly harmed, remain silent.”-Derrick Bell, first full time black professor at Harvard Law. Silence is harmful, and slowly can erode the spirit.

Silence to me is the first step to destroying our selves, failing to act upon purpose and what you hold to be right. What if Gandi, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr, and the 14th Dalai Lama had chose to remain silent? The world would not be where it is today, with many injustices remaining. All of these great men, were not only shunned by the society of their time but were imprisoned as an attempt to silence them but they fought through it. They all spoke up for their rights and the rights of others.

It is always best to speak out against that you do not agree with and to support the issue you hold dear to your heart. This is our world and who are we not to make it better? To remain silent is an injustice to our being and an injustice to your fellow man, for we are not sheep but wolves.

-Nathaniel Chapman

The "F" Word

I agree with Loeb's statement, "When we shrink from the world, our souls shrink, too."

Each one of us has become who we are today because of our experiences and interactions with others. We begin to lose our identity and purpose when we shrink from the world and isolate ourselves from others. Being involved in the community gives people a little window into our souls. Loeb says, "Community involvement, in other words, is the mirror that best reflects our individual choices, our strengths and weaknesses, our accomplishments and failures. It allows our lives to count for something." Those are some pretty powerful words and they really make me think about how my community involvement is a huge part of who I am. I asked myself, "Why would my life really matter if I didn't have others to share it with?"

As I was reading the book there were often times when I would read a phrase and think "This is so something I have done", specifically the comments on staying silent over public issues. The factor of fear (obviously the "F" word I was talking about) greatly plays into the reasoning behind my silence. I can think of a number of times where I didn't speak out because of the excuses I allowed my mind to create. In certain situations I might feel incompetent and worry that I won't sound intelligent enough or be able to back up my point with sufficient knowledge. Being afraid of sounding stupid or worrying too much about what others think causes me to hold back my thoughts more often than I should. It is something I try to overcome everyday because I can definitely see how it takes a toll on one's spirit and it isn't a very healthy thing. It is tempting to take the easy way out and just agree with what everyone else is saying, but I know that you will lose yourself in that process. I want people to know who I am and the only way to do that is to overcome fear and allow them to hear what I have to say.

For the most part I believe it is better to speak out, but there are some instances that I think are exceptions. If I am in an uncomfortable situation and I feel like the people in the conversation are not truly interested in hearing what I have to share, then I don't want to give them the satisfaction of picking apart and trying to refute everything I say. Those people tend to feed off of starting confrontations and arguments because it is their way of getting attention. They are just waiting for you to finish talking so that they can come back with an argument that is even better. That just seems like a waste of time to me. People need to have open minds and honestly be willing to hear opposing sides so that others will feel comfortable sharing their thoughts with them. In most situations, though, I believe speaking out is the right thing to do. People cannot read my mind so I cannot expect them to know how I feel if I don't tell them. It is doing a disservice to myself and to others when I hold back because I may have been able to bring something new to the table or just allowed people to learn more about who I am and what I believe in.

The courage to be yourself may show you that you are capable of more than you thought.

I agree with Lobe’s statement that, “When we shrink from the world, our souls shrink, too.” I have experienced, many times, the natural high that comes from speaking your mind, or doing what you know is right even when it may be embarrassing or when it may feel like you are the only one who is doing so. I think that, when it comes down to it, we all know what the right thing to do is. In my opinion, doing the right thing is simply being yourself and trusting your impulses. I think that, many times, people don’t do so just because they want to blend in with everybody else. In my experience, this way of living just perpetuates misery; or, as Lobe may put it, ‘shrinks your soul’.


The first time I recall really experiencing this natural high that I have mentioned was my junior year of high school. My first two years of high school I was a wily teenager, giving my parents a run for their money. This landed my sorry butt all the way in Virginia, at an extremely strict boarding school! Academics were extremely challenging there, and all of the staff members were tremendously strict. The system was set up so that, if you followed all of the rules, you would inevitably succeed. Because there were such extreme penalties for breaking the rules, I was whipped into shape rather quickly! My first semester at boarding school I absolutely worked my butt off in school, dorm life, committee work—everything.

You may be wondering, ‘what does Perri’s experience at this crazy boarding school have to do with anything’? Well, this was the first time I actually remember having to ‘do the right thing’ in every situation, and having to be an active member who was a continuous positive influence within the community in which I was living. Upon reflecting of my first semester at boarding school, I realized that I had learned so much about myself just from giving my all to every aspect of my life. Although it was extremely hard, I realized that I was much happier of a person than I had ever remembered being. I was more aware of my own ideals and values, whereas before I didn’t even make an effort to differentiate myself as an individual. Actually, I’m not even sure that I was aware that I actually had beliefs of my own. At home, acceptance was my single goal in life—and I was miserable!

Like I said, this feeling—or ‘natural high’—that came from really putting myself out there became addicting to me. Every semester I set goals for myself to achieve more than I did the last, and every semester I gained a greater appreciation and pride for the individual that I truly am. I think that before, in silencing myself, my soul was shrinking; but when I started to fully live my life, I experienced—as Lobe might put it—my soul slowly starting to grow. I also noticed that when I don’t cheat myself by holding back who I truly am from the world, I gained a greater confidence that I have the power to really leave my mark on this planet. I truly believe that anyone who actually puts themselves out there can really make an important difference in this world, and that they will—in return—gain a greater since of who they are. So, in conclusion, I personally testify to the truth of Lobe’s statement that, “When we shrink from the world, our souls shrink too”.

Don't Be Afraid To Speak Out

Unfortunately, I have come across the problem of not speaking my mind when I have had every reason to. It wasn't about being shy or worried about what I had to say, but about hurting other peoples feelings and their opinions about me. For a long time I had always worried about what others would say if I stood out of the norm and defended something. Good arguments and points always came to my head, but I let nothing be heard. It wasn't until I became a leader in my youth group did I realize the importance of stating an opinion and letting myself be heard. Now whenever I am given the opportunity I share my thoughts and ideas with others. No longer do I shy away from hot political topics and issues. It is better to let yourself be heard no matter what words come out of your mouth. "When we shrink from the world, our souls shrink too." This quote is a perfect example of what does happen when we choose to remain quiet. Our opinions are never voiced and our concerns will never be dealt with. It also does not give us room as people to grow.

Another quote I found appropriate was said by the trappist monk Thomas Merton, "Souls are like athletes that need opponents worthy of them if they are to be tried and pushed to the full use of their powers." If we do not communicate what we are feeling inside it can have a devistating effect on ourselves. Keeping our opinions priviate helps no one else, we should be proud of our stance and share it with others. The quote gives a good simile as it compares the soul to an athelte. We need to be sure we are like the athlete and challenge those around us. By doing this it can only make us stronger. When we take a side in a heated public issue, we are doing our nation a favor. Only debate and conversation can make a good idea a great idea. If everyone claimed they had the same opinion, millions would live with dissatisfaction. All of this would be because no one chose to speak out. We should continue to grow and share our opinions with others.

Think Before You Speak

It's hardly to agree or disagree about Loeb’s statement "When we shrink from world, our soul shrink too." Deep inside of my heart, I really think that speaking up is really important for a real change to occur. Human beings cannot read what's inside our head or what we are thinking of unless we tell them. I wish I had that supernatural ability! I liked the story that Loeb stated about Virginia’s life experience and how she faced her difficulties to stand up for herself even though it was hard: “It was hard to stand up to politicians and tell them what we wanted, because it’s been imbedded in my mind to be nice to everybody. It seemed rude at first. But I began to understand the importance of holding people accountable for what they promise.” I feel the same way that I have to be nice to everybody because that shows respect and sometimes will save us from falling into trouble especially when you trying to speak up to a large organization or someone who has “The Power.” That’s why we have to think, think twice and carefully before we make any movement, before we pursue on speaking up about anything. We have to think about the outcomes and the causes and effects from speaking up. Is going to benefit the society and our world or just a waste of our time? Moreover, I also think that the best way to express our feelings and let others know about what we are going through from a sad or a happy situation is by speaking up. Sometimes others might benefit from our opinions and arguments, or they might use it against us as a weak point. But in both cases we have to know that it took the courage from us to speak up and face them. So, we should never think that what we want to say is not worth saying.

It's Better to Stand Alone.

"When we shrink from the world, our souls shrink, too,” I agree with Loeb’s quote. I have found myself in situations where I feel the need to speak up but I keep quiet. Loeb says “ Swallowed words act like caustic acids, eating at our gut”. I usually feel my temperature go up and my face go red, that’s how I know I’m harming myself by keeping my feelings bottled up.

When we are silent about a certain matter that is important to us, like our ethnicity, we are detaching ourselves from the world.Detaching ourselves from issues around us makes us tourists to the world. Acting like tourists (keeping quiet) may seem like we don’t care about what happens in our society. The problem is as human beings we should care because we have a conscience and with that a soul.

One of the reasons to keeping quiet is intimidation; we usually don’t speak our mind because we are afraid of what others might think. We as human beings revolve around the impressions we make as people but what impression are we making if we are not being true to ourselves? You are living a life of lies if you are not being true to yourself and to not do this you need to speak up. We should not shrink because we are afraid of what others might think. Even if you stand alone like Derrick Bell, it is better to keep your integrity and identity than to lose yourself.

Where would we be if people like Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King wouldn't have kept their stance? I'm glad they didn't shrink from the world.

Learned Helplessness

I agree with the quote"When we shrink from the world, our souls shrink, too."

It is hard to stand up for what you believe in, it is hard to be the one held accountable to be the change in the world. We need to understand that we are not merely visitors in this world. This is our home, our life, our choice,and our role to make life better for ourselves and the people around us. We seek religion to find ways to save our souls, we look at others to see what they are doing to save themselves.In actuality all you need to do is look at yourself, who you see in the mirror when you wake up in the morning like Loeb states in the book is what matters. The beauty is always in the eye of the beholder, as an individual you need to be one to see the potential within you.

There were times when i stayed silent over public issues that affected me. I knew that if i said something, did something, it would make a change make a difference. But like many others i doubted myself, i doubted my voice, i did not think that anyone would listen to what i might have to say, and never stopped to think that what i bring to the table might actually be valuable. It's like what Loeb says " Self assertion requires us not only to modify our outlook and behavior but also to confront a bewildering and often disorienting maze of institutions and individuals, powers and principalities."

As a human being living in a society where you expect others to do everything for you and hand everything to you, it is hard to find the need to speak up. We expect others to just do it for us, we think that since there are already so many activists out there who are in a better position to voice their opinion, that one day they will get a chance to speak about the needs that I knows needs to be addressed.
It is powerful how big of a change one person can make, and when you bring together a whole community to stand up together to make a difference it is even more POWERFUL. When you take the time to do this, you get a better understanding of who you are, and what your values and morals are.
Loeb talks about a doctor who works in the low income clinic who said, " Seeing the struggles of others helps me to be true to myself."
Speaking up always makes a difference, there are others in the world who voices are taken away from them, they would do anything to have the right to Speak, and we don't utilize or value our voice.
When we don't actively participate in the world, in our community we give up the right to Complain, to whine about the "idiots" out there who run around trying to change others lives, when in reality We who are not involving ourselves in the civic life are "idiots" .

Changing You to Change the World

My eyes would close and thoughts of serenity fill my mind just so the concerns of the world--of my surroundings, became nonexistent. Sitting there, wondering why I haven't found myself or why everything and nothing seems to matter rattles my brain every five seconds. "Shrinking from the world," I did more than shrink. I climbed into a burrow underground and poked my head out when all of the 'hubbub' was over. I completely agree with Loeb. So many people go through life asking the same question. What am I doing here on planet earth? You know you are part of the world, but at the same time that fact scares the crap out of you. I haven't been confronted with many public issues that needed addressing, but the personal ones I can fully relate. I've heard every black joke in the book, and they never used to bother because I did not notice my color. The superficial eluded me and I went my merry way not paying attention. Then one day I look in the mirror, I am black. I felt uncomfortable with this new found truth and the jokes hurt my feelings more than ever. I wanted to speak out, tried to make my feelings known, but I shied away. I was too scared and didn't think anyone would listen to me. You need to speak out. If there is an issue, and you find a problem who better to speak about it than you! I didn't stand up for myself and ever since then I always wondered if I would be able to stand up for other people or just retreat to my shell and live in an invisible underground.

"Do not put off tomorrow what you can do today." This is a very popular saying and also very true. We always wait for the opportune moment, or when we think it feels right. The truth is, there is no "right" moment. The time is now, you feel something, make it known. If you want change, it has to start with you. The perfect standard that is talked about in the book has some correct points. I think that people don't believe they are impossible of making change because they do not know where to start, they don't think anyone will listen, and the thought of failure or embarrassment is too much to bear. Sometimes we do think that only Superman can do great things, but there is that little voice inside that acts at Thomas the Engine"I think I can, I think I can, I think I can." It did not surprise me that King got a "C." Many people that changed history received bad grades, were blind, deaf, the list goes on. I think he included this detail to show his readers that even Martin Luther King Jr. was not perfect. He had his flaws, but that did not become an obstacle in his life. We can all achieve the same greatness, we just have to step forward, breathe, and dive in.

Here is the rubric

The perfect standard has been a daunting on my activities because I see it as my rubric. I critically think and analyze before getting involved due to the consequences if something should backfire in the middle as to how I may react. For example, in high school I was involved in a leadership club on campus. The president was about to graduate and they nominated me to be the president for the following year. I apprehensively accepted the position because I knew it was something that I would enjoy, but Anna, the previous president, had set the bar extremely high. I felt that she was the perfect standard and I needed to run the club in the exact same fashion so that the reward be identical and nothing less. I realized about half way through the year that I needed to listen to new ideas so that the variety would attract more of the student body on campus, but the 'perfect standard' was still a daily thought.

Noticing that no matter how great a leader may be, they are never 100% perfect. I think that when Loeb states that Martin Luther King Jr. got a C in his philosophy class, he is reminding the reader that weaknesses are common in every human being. This didn't surprise me but more of just reassured me that King had struggles through the glory. I find that when I am struggling with something, such as school, if I surround myself with friends and peers who will support me I am more positive. I am sure that is what King did as well because he needed to find support from people who agreed with his point of view and would help fight for an equal chance.

My soul shrunk...

I shrank from the world when I was faced with an issue I didn't know how to deal with. I stayed silent and I suffered. When I read "when we shrink from the world, our souls shrink too," from Loeb I stopped. I thought about how many times I had stayed silent over an issue I felt I had something to say about. One issue in particular still affects me because I live with it every day.

I moved from a straight-laced small farming community, where everyone knew everyone, to a huge public city school in Phoenix my freshman year of high school. I also moved in with my mother and her girlfriend. Naturally, I was afraid of fitting in, but I was also timid about people finding out my mom and judging me because of her lifestyle. This fear sheltered me from becoming an active student in my high school. I did well in class and sports, but I purposely did not stand out. I was very careful about the people I let come to my house or let close to me for that matter. I stayed silent and I suffered. When I look back, I am ashamed. I was afraid to take a small stand for my own parents. I regret not taking risks or being unafraid of what people would think, but I knew prejudice and bigotry. I could see it on television when people fought about gay rights. I didn't know how to handle the unfairness.

I realized that if I didn't try to deal with people's reactions then I would never know how. That is why I firmly believe that "when we shrink from the world, our souls shrink too." I believe that when people do not give themselves the chance to stand up or to speak up, they form a habit. It becomes natural to not say anything. They never give their souls a chance to grow because they have become accustomed to hiding it. I became to accustomed to hiding my soul. It is hard breaking the habit of hiding; I still hesitate to let people in my life and to speak up for what I believe in. However, I am trying as it is evident in this blog post.

However cliche it is, life is short, too short to be afraid to let people in, too short not to speak up about what a person knows and what they are passionate about. Let the world in and watch the soul grow.

On Top of The World

I do agree with Loeb’s quote I think anyone could apply it to everyday life. My main reasons for agreeing that shrinking from the world shrinks your soul are from personal experience. I learn the best when I am involved, and I learn the most meaningful things through other people by simply spending time with them. Being outgoing and open to the world are the best things we can do to expand ourselves and our souls. Sonya Vetra Tinsley is a perfect example of this. Her main goal was to bring people together and bringing these people together also helped her grow as a person. Being involved in this organization allowed her “to meet so many people who inspired me, people I wouldn’t have met in any other way.” This is something that we all should strive for.
One experience that I have expanded myself through is helping with the Race for the Cure. My grandma organizes the Race for my hometown and I helped her every year since I was very young. I was surrounded by and interacted with so many different kinds of people and from each one I took away something new. The Race for the Cure is such an empowering event for the survivors and participants. You see it anywhere you look. Everyone is smiling, being social, and having a great time. They feel like they are on top of the world and can accomplish anything together. Seeing all of them come together for a cause made me also have a sense of empowerment because I knew that I was a part of this amazing event.
There are not very many times that I have stayed silent. I have always felt a responsibility to stand up for the ideas and more importantly the people that I believe in. Overall, I feel that it is worth it to take the risks and try your best to make a difference. However, there are certain situations that I choose not to get involved with. When I am someplace where people are having a emotional discussion about something they believe in and I can tell that they are not open minded and wouldn’t accept my opinion anyways, I don’t speak up. I feel that it would just be a waste of time and that they would bring me down by ganging up on me and refusing my comments. So for the most part I think that it is always a good decision to speak up, unless the other party is not willing to be open to you and your views.

"Imagine"

John Lennon is most commonly known for his ability to make beautiful music and is one of the most influential song writers of all time. He often imagined what the world would be like if "all the people were living in peace" and what the world might be like if the world were one. But he also called to us by praying that "someday you'll join us. Loeb explains that” we wait our entire lives to find the perfect moment to get involved,” and Lennon would like us to first imagine it. Just as Loeb questions our ability to get involved in something; Lennon says first to imagine that perfect moment and even questions if we could even do so by slipping in “I wonder if you can.” So many people everyday discard doing something that benefits society because they believe they cannot but can you blame them? Some of these reasons are; I’m not strong enough, I’m not smart enough, I didn’t come from the right family, that’s not my role/place, not right now and what if I fail. The perfect standard of only the smartest guy or someone else is made for doing what you do not want to. How many people fall victim to this? How many people actually recognize what they are doing to themselves? The answer is more than most likely will admit to either of these questions.

I was no different than any of these people; I at one time even was in that category. I never believed that I was good enough to lead, nevertheless lead a community to success. So I played my part for many years believing that I was unfit for this part and that I need to help myself first. For so many years I watched others that I looked at as above myself. I still participated in community service since I was a child but was never a major role because I had seen the standard of those at that level. For many years I too fell victim to this false belief, until those that believed in me pushed me into a role of leader in community service. Where I soon learned that I could fulfill that role too and at the same time would learn even more about myself in the process. I would never begin to say that I am anywhere near perfect and of tent think of myself as far from it, but even I have been and hope to continue to be successful leading community service. Loeb’s message comes through strongly when he mentions that King got a “C” in his philosophy class, no one is perfect. Even a figure as wise and influential as King is capable of such change. This information did not surprise me because making a change and serving the community is a reflection of one’s ability to act not how well a person can memorize information from a book.

If possible I would hope that everyone can first “imagine” their perfect/ peaceful world and then go out and make their imagination a reality.

Follow your Convictions

People who wait an entire lifetime to find the absolute perfect moment to get involved are most likely looking for excuses to avoid involvement with any social cause. Many factors contribute to this lack of participation, such as "perfect standards" or lack of interest.

We have learned since we were children to conform to social groups, follows rules and not rock the boat. However, rules and laws are created by people who are perfectly capable of making mistakes. Rosa Parks is a great example of one who questioned the laws. When she didn't give up her bus seat to a white person, she broke the law of the time. Many people thought that her actions rebellious and believed she deserved to go to jail. They might not have even questioned the posibility of injustice in this law. Thanks to her courage and determination however, Rosa Parks took one of the first and most important steps of the civil rights movement. This kind of action requires bravery and conviction, and many people are afraid of standing up for their beliefs because they might be labeled a zealot.

I found the paragraph where Loeb's students describe social activits as fanatical crazy troublemakers quite interesting. When Loeb asked students their opinion about Martin L. King however, they paused and described him as "morally superhuman. A man so rare that nothing he did could be replicated, even on a smaller scale". This example illustrates that only a few people acquire this level of admiration, leading many to believe that the consequences of standing up for any and every belief, simply not worth the effort.

Loeb includes various examples of regular people who stood up for their beliefs and were not afraid of being stereotyped a fanatic. Such examples include Leach Walesa, the polish shipyard electrician who rose to the forefront of Poland's Solidarity movement and Martin L. King, who struggled with passing a philosophy class. Loeb shows us that anybody can make a difference in social issues they decide to pursue. Loeb's message is that we don't need to accomplish as much as the "great" leaders of the past in order to be successful.

In my case, I don't think that the "perfect standards" has kept me from getting involved in my community. If there was anything that kept me from getting involved, I think it was setting aside time. I enjoy interaction among people with diverging needs and opinion. I think that every time I get involved, regardless of the size of the project, I am doing "something" to make the world better place. I don't think it is ever too late to start.

Our Wolrds

Taking a larger role in the world or community offers us knowledge and perspective. For most of us, seeking knowledge perspective is one of the main sources of self-fulfillment. Knowledge brings understanding and can bring us success; however, I am a strong believer that self-growth is extremely personal. Some people thrive for knowledge by understanding others in the world while others thrive to understand their patch of land.

I believe that the meaning of life is what you can make of it and we all define our own specific existence. Some people find fulfillment helping others. They feel that helping others is the reason why they are here, their calling in life while others find happiness in their own paths. For example, some people find fulfillment living in the mountains being one with nature. I don’t think that either attitude is right or wrong because who are we to say what is the best way to live life? Not everyone desires to follow the same path. In a sense, I guess I do agree with the statement when the world is understood through different interpretation. Today, with globalization and the expansion of worldwide communication, we commonly interpret the world as the entire world, but hundreds of years ago we would have considered the world to be our small community and maybe a handful of major cities. So if one of us were to shrink from our self-defined world, our life would be unfulfilled and our soul would shrink.

Even though I’m a very opinionated person, I have stayed silent over discussions on public issues. I prefer to listen to all sides of a story before I speak out my opinions. Staying silent has granted me a different, better informed opinion. I think it’s more important to listen before speaking out and proscribing one approach over another.

Intimidation

I agree with the statement that "when we shrink from the world, our souls shrink as well." In my view our souls are on this earth to learn and become stronger. "Souls are like atheletes." wrote Thomas Merton, "that need opponents worthy of them if they are to be tired and extended and pushed to the full use of their powers."(Loeb 21) Our souls can only grow through interactions with others. Virginia, for instance, didnt even start to get involved until her elderly neibor fell ill. Even after she herd that this person had died she hesitated to truely get involved. However, there are two types of people. First there are the people like the nun that challenged Virginia too get involved and second there are the people that hold us back by intimidating us. For Virginia there was the nun who helped her realize her potential. But her family treated her like a discrace. One of the most important things in life to learn is to do what you believe is right and not what others think you should do. Even in class at times people, including me, tend to see things like classmates who make others lives harder. Often times I see things go on that I know isnt right but I dont do anything because im intimidated by others and what they might think about me. But in the end we all should do our part to do what is right to help others and make this world a better place.

excuses

At times I feel as if people are just making excuses as to why they can't help. People procrastinate all the time with things such as homework. But if you really think about that, the daily routine of procrastination has migrated into everyday life with different things including helping in the community. There is no ideal moment to get involved. I always say that I waited to get involved because I was always so consumed with soccer. In reality I could have found some time to get involved. People don't feel as if they are adequate enough to participate in certain areas. However, all it takes is for one person to stand up and be a leader. Seeing that one person has stood up and decided to speak out and make a difference can cause a domino effect with others. Like I said there is not a perfect moment to get involved nor should there be a perfect standard. A quote that I personally felt summed it up was that "Souls are like athletes. . . that need opponents worthy of them if they are to be tried and extended and pushed to the full use of their powers." I am an athlete and I find this true in many areas of my life that I set a standard of what I should compete against. However, from the perspective of getting involved with the community waiting until you find the perfect opportunity is something I do not agree with. Through service learning one may learn who they are. The part about Martin Luther King Jr. proves that no matter who you are you can make a difference, You do not have to be perfect;we are human and we all make mistakes but why live with the mistake of waiting for the perfect standard. You cannot judge and hope to find your so called perfection. Personally, just from doing two service projects with my slice group I already feel a drive from within to make a difference. Yet when the opportunity is not handed to you, one must step out and find it for themselves and search for that drive from within and live with the imperfections that make everyone and every situation unique. Learn to love spontaneity and blossom into a person who does not set perfect standards and makes excuses. Get Involved!!!!!!

"When we shrik from the world, our souls shrink too," writes Loeb. With this concept he contrasts the idea of our souls shrinking if we do not allow it to cout for something...anything. When we look at this quote by Loeb, "We become human only in the company of other human beings," it complements well with this idea of our souls shrinking. We are human beings, who require much attention and when not given, we often find ourselves lost or unfound. We cannot accomplish anything alone, we need others to help us fail and learn the steps towards a well harmonized life. I agree with his quote because it defines our lives' and the lives' of others, who have not yet found themselves and struggle to discover the true meaning of life and the steps that one must take in order to achieve liberation through commitment. It requires a huge amount of commitment and a sense of liberation that can only be gained by the love and support of others. It only requires one person that can talk and listen to you to be able to gain release of our own existence that opens up the doors of the whole world.

There are countless time where we have remained silent at a certain point in our lives, either because of the consequences that will bring us if we were to speak up, or simply scared to be looked at differently because of the way we think and perceive certain issues. Personally, it has occurred to me several times, and even now that I think back and try to understand the reason of why I remained silent, I don't seem to find a legit reason. It may be the case that I probably never will, my only option and of many others is to attempt to speak up and share our thoughts regardless of anything or anyone. It may not always be wise to speak up, or many will think so, due to the place or people surrounding you, however if you consistently bury your emotions and feelings you start shriking from the world, like the analogy of Loeb, which brings us back to one final question: Is this the way you want to continue on with living?

Be the change you wish to see in the world.

I personally feel as though the statement " when we shrink from the world, our souls shrink too" is false because if you bring something to the table or to the world we live in now, then you will also leave something valueable behind, (weither small or large). Many of the people who have made a difference in the world in the past (such as presidents, government, Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, Mother Theresa, and so many more) did not think they would make as much of an impact as they have today. Holding back from certain situations does not neccarsarily mean we always end up with nothing, it just means we may not have our own opinion right then and there and we will eventually get to tell what we want people to know. For some it takes a while to simply voice their own feelings and some may have an opinion but not want to express it. In these cases it is all how we few are level of trust and communication towards one another. Deep down inside everyone's voice would love to be heard, although it is a matter of who is willing to share and who is there just to listen. If we put our selves on the out skirts of communication we will physically be there however not mentally and this makes it hard for people to know what is really going on, on the inside instead or just being another person in the crowd. Everyone has their own opinion about various things in life however its their choice to let it be known or unknown, there honestly is nothing wrong with either one. As an individual i stand strong with my opinions and let people known what i am feeling for the most part, however their is a time and a place for people to voice their opinions. We all have different believes for one thing or another,it is encouraged by many however to let your opinion be heard because you could be the difference you never thought you could be. I strongely believe that groups such as SLICE are wonderful groups to help individuals understand that they are important no matter what roll they play in the group. Every one is different and wants their opinions voiced in a different way in time whats ment to be heard will be heard and dealt with. My last point i will make states that our soul only shrinks from the world if we let it. We know our own limits and boundaries, it's the process of wanting to make a difference or being the difference that is what really matters in the end.

Fighting the "perfect standard".

I agree with the thought that most people wait for the "ideal moment" to start community service or something else that is challenging. Personally, the tendency to put things off for a more convenient time has always been a failing of mine; I never feel prepared or "good" enough to start something I anticipate will be difficult. If it is something that is particularly important to me than I feel even more of a pressure to be flawless and perfect in accomplishing the job or assignment. Unfortunately, I have let the "perfect standard" affect my decisions and actions. I believe that my perfectionist tendencies have held me back from speaking up for a cause I feel for and other things I might have attempted, simply because I don't want to represent my beliefs poorly and cause others to misjudge the issue because of my human flaws. Failing has always been my biggest fear, and it is something I have to continually fight. It is helpful to know that those who have largely influenced our history were also unsure and struggled with things. I was surprised to read that Martin Luther King Jr. had a difficult time in philosophy class, as his speeches were very philosophical in nature. It is encouraging to realize that the very things Mr. King struggled with eventually became one of his greatest assets, which is why I believe the author included that detail. I believe that I need to make more of an effort to not live by the "perfect standard" and take more action helping my community and supporting my beliefs, the theme of this chapter remind me of a quote I would like to share: "Evil prevails when good men do nothing". We cannot expect our community to change for the better without acting.

Be True To Yourself

I whole heartedly agree with the statement, "When we shrink from the world, our souls shrink, too." Whenever we shy away from supporting our beliefs, it weighs on our hearts as a regret; something that should have been done. At least that's how it is for me.

I believe that it is human nature to struggle to go against the opinion of the majority. It is so easy to just pretend like you agree with the consensus, especially when dealing with a particularly controversial topic. In these cases, it is not uncommon to choose to stifle one's own voice in favour of keeping the peace.

I have found myself guilty of swallowing my own voice in the past. I can personally attest to the fact that it eats away at you inside. Recently, I have become much more comfortable voicing my opinions. I do however find it easiest to share opinions with strangers or acquaintances, people I may never see again, because if they don't approve, then it has no personal effect on me. On the other hand, if a close friend or family member were to vehemently disagree with my point of view, I could risk loosing someone important to me. While I understand and agree with the statement that if the other party is unwilling to accept differences in opinions then they aren't worth having as a friend, but the potential heartrending pain makes it much easier to preach than to practice. Therefore, particularly when offered the opportunity, I find that it is typically in the best interest of an individual to speak their mind. Being true to yourself is one of the best feelings you can experience.

NO ONE MAN IS AN ISLAND!!

No one man is an island, we all need somebody and so when we act or live in isolation we decrease in intellectual size, we deprive others a shoulder to lean on, and we are reduced in our value of importance not only to our selves but to our fellow human beings, community and the world at large, just as Loeb would expatiate "that we become human only in the company of other human beings by opening our hearts and giving voices to our deepest convictions." The heroes and heroines we read and hear about today never made it all by themselves, but made it through social integration with others, because they refused to shrink from the world. Change can only come when we bring out the spark of vision, courage and strength in us. As a child, I had always wished I could make a change in my family so that my mother and I get a fair wage from the local company we worked every evening on my return from school. We had feelings full of worries and fear of losing our jobs if we ask for a fair wage, because so many are willingly ready to take up our position in horry. One evening, the owner of the local company commended my mother and me for a job well done, but my mother was so scared to tell him of our poor salary, for a fear that the manager might find out and sack us for speaking out. But I ran after the director and told him that our pay is little even when we worked full time, my complaint was investigated and that brought a change of salary not only to my family but also to others affected by the dubious act of the company’s manager, because I spoke out.

A developmental psychologist once said that “individual growth is possible only through interactions with the human and natural world and through experiences that challenges us.” Like Virginia, we feel we lack the potential, competence and quality to make a change until we make certain moves. We cannot sit back and wish we could make that desired change, but must act to make the change we desire. Loeb would stress once more that “silence is more costly than speaking out because it requires the ultimate sacrifice.” We sometimes don’t know our importance and value until we learn things we never knew about ourselves by acting and not by wishing; like being the mouth piece of others, being a shoulder for others to lean on by voicing out your opinion, because you cost of silence could be the stumbling block for others to excel, which in turn will shrink your soul, because you shrink from the world, go make a change.

The Ideal Moment...Now or Never!

I believe most go their entire lives without finding their ideal moment to be true to the feelings they suppress from their peers and community. The discussion in Soul of a Citizen between a teacher and his students on the stereotypical image of social activists, which his students described them as being fanatical, extremists, and troublemakers defined the misunderstanding of exactly what these students had displayed. Most chimed in on negative labels for social activists without realizing that those people are the main ingredients that we celebrate and study to this day as role models of the Melting Pot. Loeb included that Martin Luther King received a C in philosophy because he was validating the normality of King’s human characteristics that get lost in his historical fame. This detail was included to spark the reader’s attention in relating to an iconic figure and to inspire him/her to understand the power of one voice. I believe that everyone has been affected by discouragement of being an outcast, but I have learned to be open-minded in understanding others viewpoints. The “perfect standard” has actually positively influenced me by motivating me to let my voice be heard. My sisters cannot grasp the spectrum of influence one person can create in his/her short lifetime and continuously question me on the uses of my free time. I can see the impact I can make because my actions network through others, which will hopefully positively influence them. My voice has also led me to my position at my current job. The previous manager did not fulfill the necessary requirements for that position and instead of letting the troubles continue I went out on a limb and presented the problem. I was hired as the manager the following week. I think it is important to remember the the "ideal moment" is not just one time. It is whenever one truly feels different about something that can cause them or others emotional or physical dissatisfaction or harm.
Post By: Lucille McClearn

Heart, Spark, or Spirit

As the book says "whatever we use for the mysterious force" that drives us to live life everyday cannot show its "fullest potential...in isolation." Virgina Ramirez's story demonstrates a strong connection to bringing out the fullest potential of her soul. She sacrificed her entire life as she knew it to improve a communities physical appearance as well as emotional strength. Her strength and courage to step miles outside her comfort zone to face powerful people was very powerful and inspirational. Being torn between her own desires and family shows sometimes it is necessary to place yourself and your own needs before others. In her case this benefited, not only her, but her family, culture, and her community. Derrick Bell, also, showed enormous strength by taking his leave to encourage the hire of a minority woman. As said in the chapter it takes more effort to take a vow of silence because it erodes one's soul. I could not imagine staying silent and not speaking my mind for a cause I truly believe in. I feel like i have to tell people how i am feeling to get them see my point of view. The person I am would be more like Virgina Ramirez forcing myself to stand in front of a crowd giving a motivating speach because i feel words can have more of an impact than action. I feel it is better to speak out getting more people involved by showing them your vision, thoughts, and feelings towards a cause.

Everyday Heroes

Chapter 2's topic interested me greatly due to the fact that I was one of those people. I've always had a nagging voice in the back of my mind that wanted me to put myself out there and get something done, and do something productive, and help some people. Something I could look at and know I changed something or someone for the better. But at the same time, this always felt like an impossible goal. If the opportunity came along that'd be great but I really didn't think I wanted to put much time or energy into something I probably couldn't change. The times I did try to get involved with something, I would often find myself discouraged by the sheer amount of paperwork and bureaucracy necessary for it.
I now find myself in SLICE where I feel I can make the maximum impact on a problem with a minimum amount of paperwork. I suppose this would be my "ideal moment to get involved" and I am grateful for that, but now I wonder what took me so long. And I think after reading the chapter I see why. Like I said before, I didn't see myself being able to make a difference. I didn't see myself as a hero or perfect. That was the wrong way of thinking. I still don't see myself as a hero, I'm just a dude who wants to help out. I think that's how a lot of my peers in this group see themselves as well.
Pointing out that MLK wasn't the top student in his philosophy was Loeb's example of how you don't need to be perfect to do something great and you can't let set-backs like that hold you back from doing what you know is right. We are all human, we all have flaws, inescapable fact of life. Sometimes these flaws don't always seem congruent with our ideals and beliefs. An example would be Mohandas Gandhi, a world renowned peace movement leader and a deep believer of non-violence, even in the face of tyranny. All these things are true, but what was also true was that he was known to be very harsh and abusive to his own family. This detracts from the perfect image his famous actions created, but they don't make them any less remarkable. He is still an inspiration to stand up for what you believe in, regardless of his faults or your own. So it doesn't matter if your not perfect, that doesn't mean you can't improve yourself and your environment, and it doesn't mean your beliefs don't hold value.

The Shrinking Soul

I do agree with the statement "When we shrink from the world, our soul shrinks too." Much of what makes a person who they are and helps to develop the soul of a person is how they interact with the world around them. When we pull back and stop interacting with others we stiffle a key part of our life experience and soul development and in effect actually can begin a soul regression. We need personal interaction to thrive as human beings.

I have at times stayed silent about public issues. I believe that there is a time and place for every discussion and likewise an inappropriate time and place. To just argue for the sake of argument is a useless battle and I believe can often actually weaken the impact of sharing your beliefs on an issue. Just as with any views I believe that the way in which we approach the subject and how it is stated as well as to whom should always be considered. I don't want to be constantly hounded about polictical views, or social issues. Therefore, I refuse to just hound others with my views.
That being said I am also very open about how I feel on any issue if asked, or if I am in a forum in which talking about, arguing for, or working toward my views and goals can make a difference I will definitely stand up and make my position very clear.
So yes, it is important to speak out. It is also important to think about the forum you speaking in.