And what it could do to us.
When you woke up today, did you think to yourself, ‘I strive
to be mediocre!’? Exclamations aside, of course not. Most of us, I would argue,
awoke with a staidness—a quiet complacency hiding a steadfast confidence.
College students: be proud and wary. Be proud that you have
made it to college, and millions of high schoolers have not. Be proud that you
are representing your community at a community that is incredibly diverse or
not-so-diverse. Be proud that you have the opportunity to engage in dialogue
with real thinkers. Be wary of the pitfalls that intellectual thinking can lead
you toward. Be wary of the feelings of entitlement that come with being privileged.
Be wary of the groups or crowds of people that, regardless of their intentions,
might threaten to throw you off your rightful path.
I’ve failed so much these past four years; I’ve also learned
a lot about the world, Philadelphia, and myself. I’ve gone to bars alone; I’ve
stayed up nights crying and crying and crying. I locked myself up in my room
tens of dozens of times to study or to veg out; in the meantime, I forewent proper
exercise for months and months on end. But I’ve also done so many fun things. I
went to church; I prayed with folks; I went to Christian conferences; I got
drunk with Christian friends; I got drunk with atheist friends; I never did
weed but after all you’re talking about a Californian kid here. I also went on
an Asian American leadership retreat in the spring of 2010 that changed my
life. I saw Ralph Nader and Anderson Cooper speak my freshman year; I shook Yul
Kwon’s hand and got an signature on my APAHW 2010 shirt (only guy in the room
to do so); I spoke to Lt. Dan Choi for about ten minutes about Korean parents;
this year, I saw Aziz Ansari perform (amazing!).
But I’ve also argued with pastors. I’ve told them the
craziest delusional thinking I could conjure up at that time. I’ve thought them
stupid (them being all pastors) at multiple periods in my college career. But I
finally realized that pastors provide a valuable service: listening. And while
I think I know a good deal about Christianity, I know I know nothing because I
don’t. I don’t know ancient Greek or Hebrew or any language besides
middle-modern English, Korean, and a bit of Japanese. So I’m wary when people
criticize my faith, Christianity, without knowing its particulars. I’ll lose a
debate with you or any other Christian/atheist/other faith person anytime if it
means that I set understandings of Christianity right. Because, as Geoffrey
Canada said, I’ll go down fighting. I cannot choose whether I am a Christian or
not; it is too late for that. I am much too old; I am much too old. But what I will do is support those of other
faiths. I would like to be of service. I
would like to be of service to
atheists and nonbelievers. Does that mean I try and convert them? Not
necessarily; I want people to reach their highest potential. I want Muslims to
convert their violent brothers, the radical Islamists, to true Islam. I want the
Jewish people to thrive; I wish upon Buddhists the peace, transcendence, and
enlightenment they seek. But most of all, I want us to be able to avoid
suffering. Because that is not what life is about; but that is how life should be led.
Mine is a minority position. And it is not as developed as
it should be.
Mediocrity.
And what it could do to us.
