The Last Time: Breaking Free

 Stop and Listen.

That was easy. Now reflect on it, think about it. What did the video make you feel? How would you respond to it? The easiest part about conversation is listening, now you have to come up with a response and show you actually listened. Listening to others makes them feel heard and valid. Whether it’s during a casual conversation or even an argument. The goal should be to learn from another person or simply emotionally gain from the conversation. Thunberg’s message to congress depicts listening beyond conversation. Paying attention to what’s happening in society, listening to marginalized voices, and forming an opinion based on your listening. Listening should be easy, we should not be ignoring conversations and ideas we don’t want to hear. Opinions are formed and strengthened after we hear the conversation. We listen to others to educate ourselves, and even learn more about ourselves. Listen to those who know more, who understand the circumstance better and then you do your own critical thinking. Listen and then enter the conversation.

In an opinionated society, we will always be able to come up with remarks and ideas regarding a topic. We repeat ourselves and each other again and again without making much progress in the conversation. Analysis allows us to find a more meaningful argument(s) and idea(s) surrounding a topic. Whether it’s about pronouns or politics, we can further our reasoning using the support of others’. We present ourselves as well-educated when we’re able to incorporate others’ ideas into our own. Complex analysis allows us to understand more about society. Analysis through entering conversations allows us to evolve our thinking into a better understanding than when we started listening. It helps us make connections such as understanding Thunberg’s message in connection to the government’s ignorance when it comes to progressive change. We break out of the mold of summary-thinking.

Five-paragraph essays restrict writing and expression just like society does. There’s a formula: introduction with thesis, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Less room for creativity, character, and voice, less room for diversity. Society suppresses individuality. There are roles and stereotypes that weigh down those who do not fit into their boxes. Caster Semenya, the Hoover family, and countries with less wealth do not fit into a box. They are looked at through socialized perspectives. Society normalizes concepts that force people to change or lessen their individuality and creates a prejudice in people’s minds. Understanding society and being exposed to diversity breaks down the normal. Analyzing topics allows us to break from socialization’s affects on our opinions. Thunberg broke away from the norm of ignoring climate change and instead advocates for change. 

It starts with getting involved. Listening to the current situation happening, trying to understand it for yourself as you form your opinion, and then responding and/or doing something. Thunberg learned about the climate crisis and then very infamously got involved. It can be as simple as in writing and getting your ideas on paper, or it could be actively speaking out on your opinions. Generation Z is presently known for this, whether it be in matters of systemic change, the pronoun movement, or everyday progress. Analysis prepares for looking at pressing issues in society and understanding how to address them. Writing helps gather thoughts and expressions in a way that sometimes speaking can’t. Writing is thinking and language is powerful. Being able to analyze is being able to think through thoughts in order to create a complex conclusion of ideas and opinions. My voice has been found through writing and it has strengthened beyond my wildest expectations, and it is the most powerful weapon I have. Analysis has allowed me to express myself in ways I could not vocally. I’ve listened, reflected, entered the conversation, and came to very opinionated conclusions. You’ve listened to me, and now the conversation will continue.