Month: November 2019

On Hatred

Hatred is a sentiment born out of envy: a sentiment which in turn creates its own monsters. After all, it is all about the education we have received at home; it overshadows self-control. The more a person has been taught, as a child to think positively, the fewer the chances they will become villainous. However,

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Sparks, Explosion, Mushroom Cloud: The Story of Hate

“La haine attire la haine” is a quote by writer and movie director Mathieu Kassowitz. It translates into “hate attracts hate”.  Sadly, it does, but hopefully, that is not the end of it. Let’s start with a small example. If a cashier at a supermarket checkout is surly and grumpy, your immediate reaction is either

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Hate: An Inevitable Emotion

The way crises and national conflicts loom in the air makes one ponder whether a goddess of destruction had been unleashed upon mankind. Millions of lives had been lost worldwide and it’s a miracle that I am still alive to tell the tale. People are running away from their homes of origin only to settle

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Childhood’s End: A New Beginning

“That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo, and it’s worth fighting for.” — Sam, Lord of the Rings It was the summer between Eighth grade and Freshman year when I first heard these words. The first time I saw The Lord of the Rings, I remember feeling a strong sense of nostalgia. I

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Seeking validation may kill your ambition

The human mind is perhaps the most underrated treasure trove. In the mind lies possible solutions to the problems which plague humanity. Imagination may yet be the greatest creative or productive force available to the human race. Everything produced, tangible or intangible, goes through two main stages: first is the mental creation and second, its

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The Chessboard

Growing up with a Korean background and immigrant parents, I only hoped to be their American dream. I was focused on becoming who and what they wanted me to be without having an understanding of who I was. Unravelling this pattern of behaviour and thought was easier said than done as I had always equated

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Hold Your Horses! Henry Ford and the Infinite Exploration

“If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” – Henry Ford Although the comment seems a little snarky, Henry was right. When Henry Ford invented the Model T automobile in 1908, most people were clueless. Accustomed to either the horse and buggy, or completely out of reach, expensive cars

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Conflict Vs. Peace: Why People Cannot Handle Serenity

“If there’s no conflict, there are no stories worth telling – or reading.” – Veronica Roth. It is an absolute and undisputed truth that human beings thrive on conflict. All the great stories, all the great imitations of life are based upon conflict. Without conflict, nothing moves. Without conflict there is no motivation. Without conflict,

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Milestones Shmilestones. I’ll Always Be Somebody.

A long time ago, I barely used clocks or calendars. Context clues worked well enough. When I completed a grade, summer was beginning. If my mom took me shopping for school supplies, it was ending. In school, the times of day were marked by recess, lunch, and the intercom announcing bus numbers. When I wasn’t

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Born American Again

Birth is something our souls create to enter this game, this tennis court of choices where we choose to pitch our will-power.  It’s a rare sport in the universe as the human race is increasingly unconcerned with forgiveness as it was designed; for we all are tested one way or another.  Whether it is with

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Change How We Educate

How open is your mind? You might argue that if it is too open what you have inside will fall out, but on the other hand if it is too closed you will fail to consider so many things. Take for example this statement by Henry Ford – “If I had asked people what they

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Her principal priority

What we wish the most in life, it’s to fill the hearts of our companions with love and trust to our next generation, but things don’t always move the way we wish. Sad, feeling pain and sorrow for not being strong enough to protect her family, dressed in complete black as if she was going

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The Time to Scream

In a conversation between two men of two different religions, one of them said that the human-being is made of clay, the other said that the structure of a human-being is from wood and algae. I read a shocking comment below their skirmish “I don’t care whether I am made from wood or clay or anything else,

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Are you listening? Really?

“IMAGINE…” Just saying the word evokes such a range of possibilities. It fills our eyes and hearts with wonder. It opens doors we didn’t know existed. It leads us to the path of progress and new beginnings. It has the potential to change the way we live. Imagination has led to all breakthrough innovations like

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The Necessary Conflicts of an Unfair Life

There is a popular phrase that we say to our parents whenever things do not work out for us – “That’s not fair!” And they always respond back, “Well, life isn’t fair.” This gets us angry because we know it is the truth, but do not want to accept it. Utopias, which are perfect worlds,

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Can I not hate back?

“La haine attire la haine.” (Hate attracts hate.) – From La Haine, dir. Mathieu Kassovitz. The truthfulness of this statement is evident. Hate attracts hate. I go further: ‘hate attacks hate.’ In this article, I will argue that hate is part of the human, and the primary focus should be on what to do when

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The only one that walks beside me is my dream

Hello! I’m writing this story to you, and I have no idea who you are, what you are. I have no idea how this story will finish. The only thing I know is that the only one that walks beside me is my dream. *** My mum has a powerful personality. She is dominant, goal-oriented,

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Beautiful Tales of Incumbent Conflicts

I couldn’t help but stare at the scars on both sides of my uncle’s cheek. They were from bullets wounds he sustained as a Biafran soldier at the battle field of the Nigerian-Biafran War (Nigerian Civil War 1967-1970). He caressed the wounds while he narrated the story of the greatest conflict that shook Nigeria and

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Know Your Why, What, and How

Why? A perplexing question we keep asking ourselves each day. As we grow and mature our ‘why’s increase and this brings a burden to our minds if they are not answered. I remember being young I had a lot of ‘why’s, I was always asking people everywhere I go “why this?” and “why that?”. So

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