Breaking Free from Society's Expectations and Achieving Opportunities to Impact the World around You

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Recommended: The Relationship between Education and Society

Within our society, there are a variety of degrading identities that are too often assumed upon people. Because of this occurrence, an individual has little control on how the general public views them. However, one deciding factor that can change how you are portrayed to society is your knowledge and education. Through education, individuals can break free from society’s expectations and achieve opportunities to impact the world around them.

Despite society’s conception on individuals, education provides a resolution to change the assumed identity given to them. Hundreds of years ago, social status was genuinely set in stone; noble families stayed in power while workers and peasants struggled to get by. As more and more advancements in fields of studies were published, knowledge became the deciding factor to change where an individual stood in society. As societies progressed with time, education gradually went hand in hand with success which caused many people to focus on their knowledge of the world. As slavery became common in the United States, slaves were expected to be uneducated and remain slaves for the remainder of their lives. However, Frederick Douglass used education to defy his assumed identity; he broke the stereotype and created a new name for himself. At a young age, Douglass realized “the pathway from slavery to freedom” was in fact education; the knowledge he craved so much was what separated him from freemen. With the recognition of the solution, Douglass was able to educate himself and become one of the most successful black men in history. Such cases of defying social assumptions can still be seen to this day. Stereotypes often set limitations on what an individual can accomplish, pointing fingers stating...

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... in communities around the world; creating an opportunity to change our society. Opportunities provided by education aren’t always seen on a nationwide scale. Often times it can be seen within a community, a town, or even a race. Acting as a role model for younger generations, Sherman Alexie encourages children from his hometown to work hard in school and speaks of the importance of education. Not only does he appeal to the children, but he does so with purpose; “I am trying to save our lives.” (Alexie, 18) The opportunities to impact the world through education can be found on a variety of different intensities. From facing highly sensitive topics to simply inspiring others to become more than what is expected; education is the root of the influence. Without knowledge to strengthen arguments and inspire others, individuals would be no different from one another.

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