Why are some people people deemed less worthy and excluded by society? People who differ from the societal norms are often separated and pushed to the edges of society. It is unfair to neglect the marginalize people who differ from the societal norm. These people on the outskirts of society are often trapped as outcasts due to a fixed belief or misperception. The idea that all people have the ability to change is visible in Tattoos on the Heart though, the work of the homies, the support of others, and also in Aarhus Denmark. All people can redefine who they are and how they live their lives, but the most important factor of this is that they need to possess the self-dedication needed to alter their life. The concept that through determination a person can change …show more content…
their life is outlined well in Tattoos on the Heart especially in the story of Luis.
Luis was one of the most prolific drug dealers in L.A but after the birth of his daughter, he decided that his life of crime should end. Leaving the drug trade Luis got a job at Homeboy Industries as a bakery supervisor. A quote by Denise Leverton fits this story well, “It’s when we face for a moment the worst our kind can do, and shudder to know the taint in our own selves, that awe cracks the mind’s shell and enters the heart” (Denise Levertov). Luis realized that he can't be the father and sell drugs so he worked to change his life by getting out of the drug business and getting an actual job as a bakery supervisor. Through hard persistent work, he was was able to transform his life through his love for his daughter. However, the degree of motivation that Lewis had for the improvement of his life was rare, and normally a person needs help to improve their lifestyle. It is difficult for an individual to change their lifestyle without support from others helping them during hard times, and motivating them to set goals above their expectations. Father Greg Boyle plays a huge role in
changing the lives of the youth he visits in detention centers and military camps, an example of this is when he helped a homie named Grumpy. While visiting Camp Munz Father Greg talks to a camper named Grumpy about getting his tattoos removed. Grumpy became very upset and responses in a belligerent manner toward Father Greg. Despite the hostile first interaction, Grumpy is filled with joy the next time he sees Father Greg, and gives him a big hug while telling him that he wants his tattoos removed when he gets released from the camp. Grumpy was influenced to transform by Father Greg's compassion towards him and how he displayed that “Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It’s a covenant between equals”( Boyle 77). Father Gregs interpretation of compassion as an agreement between equal is visible when he initially talks with Grumpy about the tattoo removal with sincerity, which was ultimately the reason why Grumpy respected him so much. Father Greg played an important role in the evolution in Grumpy's life, but some people are so marginalized that it takes the help help of a community to redefine who they are. To change the life of marginalized people and bring them back into the community is a task that needs the help of an entire community. Aarhus Denmark is a community that until recently has had a problem with many of its young Muslim men leaving for Syria to fight for Islamic extremists. The Danish town has taken an unorthodox approach to dealing with potential terrorists. The people of Aarhus help Danish citizens who are returning from Syria find housing and jobs, despite the fact that they may have been involved with radical extremist. The reason behind this controversial method is that the “kind of response that puts them as a suspect and constrains them only and promotes discrimination” (Rosin 1 ). The strategy of accepting everyone is the approach that the community is trying to use to change how young Muslim men feel about their life in the Danish society. Once it became known that Aarhus was allowing Danish citizens from Syria return home, many people returned to Denmark“ about 330 in total” (Rosin 1). This story is a testament to the fact that most marginalized people feel shameful about their life and if they are given the opportunity they will alter their ways and become a part of a community. There will always be groups of people that are different from the societal norms, but that does not mean that they should be taken for granted. It is important to remember that all people can change through, their own dedication, the support of others, and the inclusion of them by their community. If the world wants to truly end terrorism, they need to accept the idea that people can alter who they are. When this idea is truly accepted the world can start focusing on the marginalized people by helping them to become their best self. When living by the idea that people can change it is important to live your life trying to, “find the something else” (Father Gregory Boyle) in everyone you meet.
In the film A Better Life , Carlos and Luis do not have a healthy father and son relationship,but that changes when Carlos truck get stolen. Luis is on a path to become a gangster since mostly alone and free to do as he pleases. Because Carlos is working hard everyday to provide for his son, he does not get the chance to be with him nor does he have the strength to stay awake once he gets home which can be very harsh to Luis since they don’t communicate. However, once the truck of Carlos gets stolen, Luis insist to help his father look for it. Throughout their journey together to find the truck they begin to bond. In the very end of the film, Carlos gets put into jail after retrieving his truck back and is announce deportation. Hearing that
“Compassion is always, at its most authentic, about a shift from the cramped world of self-preoccupation into a more expansive place of fellowship, of true kinship.” These words come from the book Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion, written by Gregory Boyle, an American Jesuit priest and founder of Homeboy Industries, an organization that provides employment training and support to former gang members. I was first introduced to Father Boyle’s work during my final semester at College of the Holy Cross in “Contemporary Christian Morality”, a favorite course of mine that examined the fundamental ethics of moral agency, human freedom, conscience, sin, suffering and virtue. It was a book that has continued to stay with me for
If only he was given the opportunity when he first came here from Mexico, he wouldn’t have had to live the violent life he lived. Luis and his Family weren’t excepted nor given any hope. Sadly, Luis’ story is the story of many. Racism is real, it exists and it is affecting young people causing them to turn to a life of gang and violence in order to gain acceptance. It all starts at a young age and something that will determine the direction of one’s life. Luis’ life was a prime example of what society and statistic said he would be as if he would never amount to anything but against all odds the fire that has always lived in him, that desire to be someone and rise above out of the pits of hell is exactly what he has done. Giving others hope. “There are choices you have to make not just once, but every time they come up” (132). Unfortunately, there will always be obstacles, weather its racism, violence, drugs, gangs in life battling against you but it’s a choice you have to continue to make, it’s all up to the individual to persevere and raise above to get out of that life and become someone before that life takes
Hazel, M. "Change is crucial in a person’s life." N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2008. .
Persevering against an old self, that self people are trying to change, will help them achieve their goals.
I see transformation as possible for everyone regardless of life phase, ability, or experience. I ground my idealism in the concrete values of hard work, determination, and perseverance. Even a single positive experience can give someone a much needed life-affirming push that can inspire change. Add in the support necessary to put that inspiration into action and progress occurs. I believe life is about creating a series of positive experiences for ourselves- finding out what we're good at doing and learning to do it in the most deeply fulfilling way. I hope to create these experiences for myself and others and inspire change.
Kotter, J. P. & Cohen, D. S. (2002). The heart of change: Real-life stories of how people change
"To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often" (http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_change.html), this quote by Winston Churchill is something I can connect with as I often feel the need to improve myself which can only be done with change. It also relates to the protagonist, Sanger Rainsford, of the short story, "The Most Dangerous Game," by Richard Connell. Sanger Rainsford changes his views on some matters after being trapped on an island with a madman with no method of escape. He undergoes a major change in his character due to an awful experience in isolation with the psychopath, General
Society is filled with outcasts. Everywhere one looks, there is someone who is different and has been labeled as an outcast by the others around them. People fear disturbance of their regular lives, so they do their best to keep them free of people who could do just that. An example of this in our society is shown in people of color. Whites label people who do not look the same as them as and treat them as if they are less important as they are. The white people in our society, many times unconsciously, degrade people of color because they fear the intuition that they could cause in their everyday lives. Society creates outcasts when people are different from the “norm.”
Do you ever wonder why you never see tattoos and piercings in the medical or federal working fields? It’s because some people believe that a person with tattoos and/or piercings is linked to people with bad reputations, such as bikers, sailors, criminals, and gang members, but that is false. Piercings and tattoos have been popular for quite a long time now, but still get looked down upon and can even affect your daily life.
Going through life we will meet people who make us change.Some changes are for the better of the individual, others not so much. These changes can be caused by money, a new groups of friends, or just trying to change for yourself. For example, in the novels Great Expectations and To Kill A Mockingbird, both Pip and Jem experience life changes that affect the perspective on our world. Pip and Jem are similar as they both look up to their dad and neither have a mother figure. Throughout the novels, both boys experience hard times but still manage to pull through.
A controversial topic today is whether or not body piercings and tattoos should be accepted by professionals working in health care. Currently, tattoos and piercings are allowed in health care as long as they are not visible. According to one of the studies, “Body piercing is defined as a piercing of the body anywhere other than the earlobes” (Westerfield). Therefore, the only visible piercings allowed are small studs in the lobes of the ears for females. The reason body piercings and tattoos are not suggested in health care is that they keep someone from looking professional as well as making them look intimidating. Not everyone sees them that way. The opposing side is that they do not affect
This theory demonstrates that people can change over the course of their life-time from the data that backs it up. In this theory, changing one’s behavior is a process that someone wants to do due to relationships encountered with people over their lifetimes. It is a rational theory that shows when new bonds are formed, people can adapt to change and lead a conforming lifestyle in society.
...e craft ourselves from what the society can afford to give up. We cannot simply believe that we live the same life as we did when we were younger or that we lived our lives as nature attended it to be. The developments the society influences craft our lives every day. Therefore, our identity is influenced by nurture; nurture is the ultimate cause of identity.
Are tattoos a kiss of death at a workplace? According to Student Research Center, nearly 4 out of every 10 Americans in their 30s have been inked. ''In April 2000 15% of Americans were tattooed (which is roughly around 40 million people) (The National Geographic).'There are different types of tattoos, from color to black and white, even glow in the dark. Number of tattoo paralos in the U.S. is 21,000'' (Tattoo Statistics 1) and more is being added every single day. People spend about $1.6 billion on tattoos once a year. ''In the U.S. more women than men are tattooed, 36% of the ages is between 18-25 and 40% of those ages are 26-40 that have at least one tattoo.''(Random facts 1) People have been getting tattoos for a while now. It has been said that ''tattoos date back as far as the Neolithic era or around the fourth to fifth millennium BC.''(skinsight.com 1) Tattoos should be acceptable at a place of business because people get tattoos for significant purposes, tattoos can tell stories and build confidence, body art is a way for someone to express themselves, make up, and tattoos are reminders of life time experiences.