Sympathy Reciprocates: A Case Study in Human Reasoning

(apolitical)
Recently, two Marist seniors complained bitterly that their being forced to do community service as part of one of the core courses was unjust. They were brimming with animosity and discontent, directed especially at the professor responsible, and were clearly determined to take nothing of value from the assignment. These two asked for my opinion regarding forced community service. I responded, "There are worse things in life." They grudgingly agreed and immediately returned to their ranting.

My true feelings, that I felt no sympathy for these two whatsoever, I had to keep to myself because I knew the conversation would then devolve from one of reason and sensibility to growling and gnashing at one another. My belief is that sympathy reciprocates, and in this case none would be rendered for none had been received; details follow:

A fallen soldier's family has the sympathy of the civilian populace, but this sympathy is largely reserved and limited in its depth because of the deafening cliché, "There is no draft; he chose to join the armed forces. His family cannot cry out that this is 'unjust' or 'unfair' because he died of his own free will." Admittedly so, and likewise, complain that you are being 'forced' to do community service at the institution you attend, Marist College (your choice), by your instructor, Professor Mar Peter-Raoul (your choice, as well), to obtain a degree in Liberal Arts (do I need to say it again?), and you will receive from me the same amount of sympathy you’ve shown for that family’s claim that the death of their soldier was unjust: none.

My advice, if you care to hear it, is open your mind to education in all atmospheres. Most learning throughout your life will take place outside a classroom, but only if you allow it to. Confine your mind's growth to college courses alone and your education will prove very narrow and limited indeed.

"Forbid your life distractions from a too-intrusive world.
But forbid your life's presumptions to distract you from the world.
Don’t submit your only life to any one specific thing.
But seek balance and seek wholeness to know all and everything."

Forced community service turns out to be forced education; at the very least you will become extremely frustrated and angered, compound this with emotional helplessness because you feel powerless to fight against the forces causing this anger and frustration. There, now you know the struggles that the poor endure on a daily basis, and you will receive the same sympathy you have imparted unto them: zero. And you claim this cluster of circumstance is unjust? I beg to differ; I feel this is justice in its purest form.

So do your community service like doing hard time, if so you choose to do, but once you are paroled from human decency, just remember how sympathy reciprocates. From these experiences, you will know why you have none from me; you will learn at least this much.