Are We An Island?

          In British Literature last year, as a class we read “No man is an Island” by John Donne. While looking for classic short stories to read for these blogging assignments, I came across this piece and reread it. I realized that I had a whole new look on the meaning behind these words. I couldn’t find the short essay I had written about it last year, but I feel my thoughts on this topic have changed enough for me to write them out. So here I go

I wish the quote “no man is an island” could be accurate for this century, but I think it only accounts for half of our world. I think the world has more good but the bad is louder. The purely good at heart can never be “islands”, because they have God. Anyone who has a loving supportive family also can never be an “island”. Though, if you were to look at the media only, one could easily form the idea that every man is for himself. Newspapers, magazines, TV shows, movies, action news and music, they all shout the evil in the world. The good is hardly ever seen.  How are people supposed to learn how to do good for others if they never see it being done? There are thousands and thousands of amazing people achieving amazing accomplishments each day, but they don’t get put on the cover of the news or shown on the 6 o’clock news.

Personally, I see the quote “no man is an island” as meaning that no one needs or is left to stand alone, but sadly in today’s world people do have to stand alone. Just in the United States, there are so many problems. We boast about being so united, together. We are the United States but are we really. Do each of us really care about the people we pass on the streets or in the grocery store or even in the halls of our schools? I think today’s quote is “see no island, hear no island, speak no island”. How many people walk past a homeless person and see a cold hungry person down on their luck and in need of a helping hand, or do they just see an dirty man who needs a haircut? Do you hear a person being bullies by someone else and really hear what is happening? Can you hear the pain being inflicted on that person by a human being just like them? Are problems like these ever talked about enough and taken seriously by enough people? So many people in today’s world don’t even realize how much they don’t see and hear each day. The world could be so much better if more people were aware of the problems and took time to help improve them.

I do realize that there are many, many people in the world today fighting to make it a better place. I am just saying that to succeed in making the world better, more people need to be aware and to care about what is happening to others around the world. To ensure that no person is ever an island, everyone needs to think and care for others. If every person is caring and working to help others and not just themselves, then in the end everyone will be cared for. Then, and only then, will no one have to stand alone.