PAW PRINT October 2013
Opinions 7
Point-Counterpoint: Is college a necessity for a successful life? Yes
No
By Violeta Lialios-Bouwman Staff Writer There are many things that account for people having a successful future: happiness, health, family, friends, wealth, intuition, and others. An unfortunate outcome of modern times is that one’s future success very much depends on one’s level of education. It is incredibly hard to get a well-paying job that you can depend on financially without a college degree. If you have the resources, and of course possess the capability and money to get that step up in the world, I recommend you all take it. Of course you can live on without going to college, but it probably will be a struggle to make a living for yourself, unless you’re a child prodigy or invent something awesome. Regular people go to school so that they can become better in their own eyes, and so that they can shape their character, personality, and brain capacity. When deciding after a strenu-
By Brianna Scott Staff Writer ous four years of high school struggles whether or not to go to college, I suggest you look at yourself and your life as of now, financially, and creatively. If you don’t have accessible money to pay for college, are you able to get a scholarship? Is college a good choice in order to succeed in your personal goals? What will you do to support yourself once living on your own? What occupation would you want to hold as an adult? Does that occupation require a college degree? Besides the moral generalization that all high schoolers should move on to college, experience life, and figure out what they want to do with their lives, college is a wonderful experience that should be taken advantage of. There are lessons to be learned, epiphanies to be discovered, people to meet, and education to be gained.
Photos courtesy of flickr.com
Success shouldn’t depend upon other social factors that influence our lives on a regular basis, such as friends, family, socioeconomic status, nor education. Instead, it should depend upon personal motivation and drive to succeed rather than simply acquiring the title that a bachelor’s, master’s or PhD may provide. When making the decision on whether to pursue college or not, one should weigh the costs and benefits it provides in achieving the overall goal of success. I If it’s more of a hinderance of some sort, economically or creatively, than a benefit to attend a four-year college or other method of higher education in hopes of obtaining a degree in a field of interest, rather than accepting an offered paid internship or other lucrative job opportunity right out of high school, then why not choose the ladder? Instead of having a well-paid job at a firm, company, or institution acquired with the help of a given degree, why not acquire the
position of becoming the owner of that institution as a result of your motivation to acquire success rather than a degree? Imagine where we’d be if the Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Kanye Wests, or any other individual who has contributed to our society and culture without a college degree, chose to pursue their education alone rather than their passion or art. In essence, life and culture as we know it now wouldn’t be the same. In no way am I discouraging one’s decision to attend college, however, I believe it’s vital to reiterate the fact that a college degree is not necessarily the “golden ticket” to success. And one should never undermine passion, creativity, or goals to conform to the conventional social expectations and guidelines of acquiring success. Explore and pursue your passion with fervor, and with or without a college degree, success will follow.
SPOILER ALERT! “Breaking Bad”: Is Walter White a hero or not? By Ethan May Staff Writer Despite all the criticism, Walter White is truly the man. Now, I know people are hating on him because of the whole “illegal crystal meth empire,” but you really shouldn’t give him too much flak. While it may seem that Walter White is a terrible person because of his harmful and illegal actions, he is only a good businessman! Of course he’s going to have to do some immoral things to get what he wants. At the end of the day, Walter White is playing for keeps, and if you can’t take the heat, stay out of his kitchen. It’s all about the money, and Walter does what’s necessary to bring home the bacon, not to mention that he looks pretty cool while doing it.
“Of course he’s going to have to do some immoral things to get what he wants.” On top of all this, Walter gives all his money to his family, and while he admits that his dealing of drugs was inevitably not for his family but instead for himself, there is still a high sense of nobility in this charity. In the beginning, before he realized how much he liked being
By Sam Kelly Staff Writer a drug lord, Walter went around killing lunatic drug dealers like no one’s business. He did all this to give his wife and son money before he died, and he didn’t care what he had to do to give them everything he could.
“Walter White remained loyal to his family and friends.” Finally, despite all the killing and drug dealing, Walter White remained loyal to his family and friends. Even after all he had been through to make millions of dollars, he chose to give himself up over killing his brother in law. In addition to this, he gave his life to get revenge on Jack for harming his family, even though Hank would have put White away if he hadn’t intervened. Walter White, while not a role model, is my hero, and should be yours too.
“Breaking Bad” is created by Vince Gilligan and airs on AMC. It is also available on Netflix.
“Walter White is truly the man.” Photos by Brian Tam
Contrary to what my esteemed colleague Ethan May says, Walter White is definitely not the man. He was a deceitful, manipulative, selfish jerk, and he got what was coming to him. Seriously, how could you like the man who dragged Jesse into his crimes and wouldn’t let him go? Jesse, the most lovable character on the show, and everyone’s favorite, tried to escape Walter’s drug empire countless times, and each time Walter roped him back into it against his will. Whether it was by blackmail or guilt trips, he couldn’t let Jesse start a new life, and that is the main reason I can never forgive Walter.
“Seriously, how could you like the man who dragged Jesse into his crimes and wouldn’t let him go?
“Walter White is definitely not the man.”
Aside from manipulating young, innocent Jesse, Walter put the life of his wife, teenage son, and newborn daughter in perpetual danger. Walter is lucky that all those times his house was visited by his enemies that his family wasn’t home.
What if the baby had been asleep in the house when Jesse came in with that can of gasoline? What if his family had been home when the Twins, Tuco’s cousins, showed up with axes? He involved them in his drug empire unknowingly, and when they finally found out, it was too late for them to leave. But worse than all that, Walter was a man who gradually lost all regard for human life. If you watched the Breaking Bad marathon before the series finale, you’ll know what I’m talking about. When he decided not to help Jane, Jesse’s girlfriend, as she was dying in front of him, you could see the struggle and the tears in his eyes. He made an awful choice in deciding not to save her, but at least he felt bad about it. But by the end of the series, he had personally killed or orchestrated the killings of countless people. Even when he killed Mike, his literal partner in crime, he didn’t show much emotion. He said sorry and left it at that. Those who say Walter did it for his family don’t know what they’re talking about. In the last episode, he even admits he did it for personal enjoyment. How could you admire a man like that?