Last week when we were reading the “Letter
from Birmingham jail” by Martin Luther King Jr. we discussed about the
importance of standing up to the status quo. So what does it mean to stand up
to the status quo? Being able to resist the status quo means that you are going
against the existing state of affairs and social norms. In society there is a
social norm of rules to live and how to act. Martin Luther King was someone who
resisted the status quo and fought for what was right. While many others lived
in fear of breaking the status quo, he put his life on the line and was
prepared to face all of the consequences to fight for civil rights. He was
tenacious in fighting for his end goal.
Someone who is a lot like Martin
Luther King is Nikola Tesla. Nikola Tesla was an electrical engineer and a futurist
whose design contributed to the electrical system. Nikola Tesla worked for Thomas Edison in his
early years. When designing his machines he was often shunned and thought of as
a “mad scientist” because of his crazy ideas of electricity. His colleagues
believed his inventions were not possible and crazy. Nikola Tesla is someone
who stepped out of the status quo and explored the outer boundaries of science.
Like MLK Jr. He was very tenacious and didn’t care on what people thought. By
stepping out of the boundaries that the science community thought was unrealistic,
he was able to invent the radio, magnetic fields, and AC motors.
By learning about these two
incredible people, and how they resisted and stood up to the status quo, it
shows the importance of dreams. Because of MLK Jr. believed all people should
be equal and Tesla believed in his ludicrous ideas, they were able to change
the world we live in. No matter what society thinks of you, it is important to
stand up and fight for what you believe in. MLK and Tesla were both very tenacious
people. When they failed, they tried and tried again until they achieved and
got there end goals. People must learn from people like Tesla and MLK Jr. and
really admire their fearlessness to resist the status quo and be tenacious. As I
approach the” real adult world” I must keep in mind the examples set by these
two men. If I feel like something is morally wrong I must stand and do what is
right. If fear and the status quo keep me from achieving greatness I must look
at Tesla. Men like them are the revolutionaries who change the world.
