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Brian Justis
Ms. Maya Alapin
English 120-021
24 November 2014
Our Minds, Our Power
Knowledge is powerful. It breaks down walls barring entry to the workplace, and allows
us to pursue careers that are enjoyable and fulfilling. It gifts humanity with health, necessities,
and quality of life. On an individual level, it can provide confidence, stability, money, and
stature. Yet knowledge is not free, nor is it easy to achieve. Education requires a great deal of
sacrifice and commitment. For this reason, many choose to forgo education further than the high
school level, coursing through life with a minimal understanding of the world around them. It is
important to understand that learning need not stop at the edge of school campus, and if we let
them, our minds will absorb information till we draw our final breaths. Not only as students, but
also as humans with a wealth of collaborative knowledge within our reach, it is our responsibility
to put forth the effort to continue our education, regardless of barriers that may stand in our way.
In his Allegory, Plato once likened mankinds relationship with knowledge to that of a
cave. When we are ignorant, we are held prisoner deep inside of the cave, unaware of the
mechanics of our surroundings. When we are enlightened, we emerge from the cave, and the
light of day clarifies the world. But what is stopping us from returning to the depths? There it is
certainly easier to cope with lifes demands, free from distractions of larger questions and
potentially painful realizations. Drive, focus, and determination keep us from imprisoning
ourselves in the darkness. There is no end to education, and we must continue seeking
knowledge throughout adulthood or risk falling back into ignorance.

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So how do we keep above ground? School is important, certainly, but is not the only tool
available. Most modern college programs are exceedingly expensive, and often demand a hefty
debt that not all can realistically expect to repay (a topic equally as large and important as this,
but outside of the scope of this paper). Fortunately, we live in a time of social connectivity.
Libraries and museums house essays, books and artifacts from throughout humanitys time on
Earth. The Internet provides many of the same offerings, as well as an outlet for experts to
lecture from vast distances. Media outlets keep us up to date on world happenings, and
documentaries compile information and visual accompaniments into easily digestible bursts of
education. Put simply, society is full of records of human findings. It does not require a
classroom to access knowledge.
Exercising our right to obtain knowledge is fundamental to finding happiness and
success. It requires only effort and dedication to achieve, as the tools already exist all around us.
We have the power to change our ultimate outcomes, and in doing so, have the power to change
the outcomes of others around us. Stagnation, ignorance, and dismissal are our enemies. So long
as we fight the urge to return to the comfort of the darkness, greatness is within our grasp.