Blog Contest Bring Out the Best and Highlights the Worse

Howdy:

I am a second year at the University of Chicago majoring in political science and history. I am a tad bit flustered about the blog contest not only here, but throughout other websites. Blogging is the wave of communication dominating all generations (maybe not the eldest) but reaching more people than the story one is blogging about. I cannot get over the fact that many talented people will highlight the blog sponsored by progressiveu.org, but a greater atrocity will be left untouched by the greater American public. Education is being damaged everyday by a lack of engagement among the youth (13-19) preventing the development of better people. I discussed this blog idea with a friend and he said "oh, you're going to engage the youth and tell em how to be better people and whatever." I am not suggesting that is the goal, rather the act of blogging is a tool used for expression and education about others. Education, for those wondering, is not only the in school training but the development as a person; sports, community service, alternative extra-curricular activities, social interactions and life all fall under the umbrella of blogging. I hope to share my ideas, opinions, humor, and frustration with you only to gain the benefit of conversation, debate, banter, and respect. This competition brings droves of youth primarily for the purpose of winning some money (aka cash, cabbage, paper, etc) but that same motivation exposes a great challenge to society at large. Motivation is great, practicality is necessary, but indifference is disastrous (don't believe me check the last presidential elections and tell me how that worked with about 70% of people not voting). Most youth do not care to share ideas, to blog, but when motivated by a incentive ($$$) will be there, first in line. I do not have the answers to all the questions in life, but I have the brash nature of handing out my idea of the problems: we must figure a way to motivate youth to do things for themselves, not yearning for a reward. Not everyone has these motives, but enough people do that this is a pertinent issue. Hope to find an answer for that one day, but I doubt that bending to the pressure to engage intellect by giving them money to participate in activities is going to help wain them off that idea. Here in Chicago (and Washington DC) programs to pay high school students for good grades have been installed with mixed reviews. Some say its bribing students to do what is already needed (and expected) from them. Others praise the idea suggesting kids finally have something to shoot for in being educated. Pardon me, but getting to college, living life, job, family thing is not as important as getting cash now. We (society) have lost track of morals and rightly doing things. Going to school is about being educated with the benefit of using your skills in developing a prosperous future. Paying for all these intellectual engagements will continue to cause problems for the future. I applaud the idea of this blogging contest, as well as those blogging with participating in the contest, but lets not ignore the "pay to play" idea. Get it together people...can't always buy everything!

Allen L. Linton II