Language
truly is the measure of our lives; what use are your ideas if you cannot
express them effectively?
Over the weekend, while enjoying my time away
from the daily grind and monotonous obligations we all must fulfill, I watched
a man perform on a stage. His name was Henry
Rollins, former front man of Black Flag, political activist, proponent
of social change, raving lunatic, etc. He had a lot to say, about a lot of
different things, and I knew I would be entertained by his solipsistic
tendencies and rude remarks. However, it was his eloquence that struck me.
Henry Rollins is known for being rough around the edges; he overcame his
surroundings and emerged as a product of his environment in a truly amazing
way: with a do-it-yourself work ethic and without a formal education. Mr.
Rollins had us engaged, on stage uttering a poetic, political tirade. He spoke,
without pause, for two hours and forty-five minutes – I went into this night
half-expected the man to tear the stage apart, jump into the crowd, and rage on
his fans because he's still mad Reagan was re-elected. Instead he used words to
convey the same amount of intense energy and passion that he's known for by
passing it on verbally, penetrating his audience's intellect rather than
breaking their jaws. He conveyed ideas about social constructs, shared humor through
anecdotes, and most importantly created a contagion of infectious energy
through words. His ability to articulate came as a pleasant surprise to me,
especially being a fan of his music which is all about energy and completely
ignores the elements involved in creating an aesthetically pleasing sound or
appearance. So I leave us with a quote that inspires me to be conscious of my
words and how I use them. If language is the measure of our lives, I want to
get the most out of it every day and being a tutor puts me one step closer to
that.Nicole, West writing tutor
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