Proud to be an American, Part Two | Ayush Midha

A few months ago, I wrote a blog post detailing my pride in the American emphasis on community service. My beliefs stemmed from the government’s recent efforts to promote volunteering and service through initiatives such as the National Service Day and United We Serve.

Recently, though, I watched the movie Zero Dark Thirty, and my pride was challenged. Of course, people can act in ways that are right and wrong at the same time, but the movie’s depiction of torture techniques such as waterboarding really struck a negative chord with me.

The movie had a few effects on me. The first was forcing me to rethink the motives behind government’s community service efforts. These initiatives are promoted across America while the United States actively pursues programs like Extraordinary Rendition, the process of transferring a person to another country, often for the purpose of torture. This made me seriously doubt the kind words I had written previously.

Second, I was incredibly disturbed by the idea that the United States was willing to do anything to accomplish a singular goal. After discussing my opinion of the movie with some of my friends, I realized that many people considered the movie a demonstration of the persistence and determination of America. I, however, was troubled that the government was willing to tarnish its moral record and public perception entirely for a single objective, however worthy the goal may be. 

While I thoroughly enjoyed watching Zero Dark Thirty, I drew a conclusion from the movie that was even more significant. Although I am still proud to be an American, I question the government’s efforts to portray itself as entirely benign, and I am alarmed by the horrible acts committed in the process of accomplishing a goal.

Doing the Right Thing for the Right Reasons | Ayush Midha

It came as a shock to most of us when we learned the results of the Honor Council Survey that we took last year. While the majority of students agreed that they wouldn’t cheat, a large percentage of Harker students also felt that their parents would prefer cheating over getting a bad grade and that it’s not cheating if everyone is doing it. I was puzzled about why there would be considerable support for two apparently contradictory statements.

After thinking about the survey carefully, I thought I came to a conclusion. As indicated by the survey, the majority of Harker students don’t cheat. So that begs the question, “Why don’t we cheat?” 

A lot of people don’t cheat because they are afraid of getting caught. That was the only explanation in my mind for why most students would not cheat but still thought that cheating contributes to success and that their parents would be okay with it. I concluded that the majority of students believed that cheating is probably beneficial, but the risks of getting caught outweigh the potential benefits! This reasoning offers a stark contrast from following the honor code for the right reasons: it’s the right thing to do, preserves the honor of the school, and promotes real learning.

Of course, we can’t generalize about everyone’s motivation for not cheating. However, this is a phenomenon that is present in multiple scenarios. For example, a lot of people don’t speed on the highways because they are afraid of getting caught, instead of trying to keep the roads safe. Additionally, some volunteer just to obtain hours or to beef up their college application rather than in an effort to give back to the community and help those in need.

After pondering this for a while, I concluded that it’s not enough to merely do the right thing. It’s just as important to do the right things for the right reasons.

Proud to Be an American | Ayush Midha

Last Saturday, the weekend of Martin Luther King Day, was National Service Day in America. The day, a part of inauguration festivities that coincide with MLK Day, belongs to a nationwide drive to increase community service opportunities across America.

The National Service Day is just one feature of the widespread culture of community service in American politics. The idea of volunteering transcends the usual political infighting and is actively promoted by American politicians. For example, the Obama administration formed a nationwide initiative called “United We Serve,” a project inspired by the growing need for volunteers during the economic downturn. The project has started nationwide initiatives to provide hunger relief, give aid to Hurricane Sandy survivors, mentor youth, and serve veterans and their families. 

This pattern is also visible outside of American politics. For example, most high schools in America have community service requirements in order to graduate similar to those of Harker. This emphasis is unique to our country. The idea of required volunteering may seem odd, but it instills in young adults values of giving back to the community and serving those who are less fortunate. This sets a solid foundation for youth in America to begin serving the community well into adulthood.

The emphasis on community service makes me proud to be an American. Political beliefs aside, I am proud to have political leaders who actively promote volunteering and serve as role models to American youth. I hope that the culture of community service in America will continue to spread and make the world a better place.

What Break? | Ayush Midha

Just like every other high school student, I start counting down the days to Winter Break as soon as December begins. Two weeks of no work and complete relaxation seem like bliss to every teenager, especially after a grueling week of final exams.

This year, though, I began making lists and schedules of work to do, like volunteering, doing research for debate, practicing guitar, and getting a head start on some school assignments. My relaxing vacation was slowly turning into a stressful nightmare. I realized that too often, we forget about what’s important when we get sucked into the tornado of stuff that just needs to get done. Winter Break gives us an opportunity to spend time with family, catch up on some sleep, and help out in the community. While Harker’s policy of not assigning homework over break facilitates these important activities, other work (not just from school) always finds a way to fill up empty time like gas in a container. 

When we have so much stuff to do, we have to make sure that we set some time aside to have fun, and relax. For me, I realized this halfway through break, and as soon as I did, I spent more time with my family and even enjoyed doing some of the things on my to-do list. For example, I volunteered at a homeless shelter the day after Christmas and really enjoyed the experience. Although this activity started off as something on my to-do list, I felt incredibly satisfied and content after volunteering. I realized that I could be productive and enjoy my break at the same time. As soon as I made this commitment, my break became so much more enjoyable.