Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Yeah But It's Still ARMED ROBBERY

Quite frankly, I am rather disturbed by the mental state and perspectives of our class. While I have always expected to find the deranged and unstable in AP English, because it becomes clearer everyday that one must possess certain delusions about their own intelligence in order to believe they can conquer Ms. Serensky and AP English, I have never questioned their priorities and values until now. Well, they always say with great brilliance comes great insanity, or do they? Perhaps I fashioned that quote from nothing with the sole purpose being to further my point; but then again would not such an imagination foster your belief that I am mad? Yet I am rambling and off topic, now to return to my original point... Oh yes, I need not look past the first of the short fictional stories to base my argument, for my belief manifested during our discussion of "The Second Bakery Attack" by Haruki Murakami. Ms. Serensky posed the question "was it wrong for them to attack the bakery?" And at first I thought to myself, does this matter truly necessitate discussion!?! Although, as I tuned in to my peer's responses, I sat back flabbergasted. The question I deemed unworthy of debate actually sparked a raging one amongst my classmates. I could not believe it, especially when I heard the overwhelming majority arguing that if the attack eased the couple's minds, then they had no problem with the act! WHAT!? If not for common courtesy and a simple lack of desire to argue on that certain day, I would have derailed my peers! As I listened to them use quotes such as "our hunger... vanished" to support how much the deed benefitted the man and his notoriously criminal wife, I wanted to scream - "DO YOU ALL NOT REMEMBER THAT THEY COMMITTED ARMED ROBBERY?" (9). Being the advocate of self-sufficiency and capitalism that I am, you may seem appalled that I am thinking about the handful of McDonald's employees whom the couple forever traumatized. "Ah, they took action and simply sought to improve their lives." Yes, however they did it at the expense of the well-being and mental state of others! Furthermore, I am taken aback by the author's refusal to condemn these people one of which has clearly practiced the act before. Murakami seemingly justifies it with his description of their contentment: "drifted back to where I belong" (9)! Yes I can somewhat understand they "needed" to do the crime to mask underlying marital issues, however I cannot excuse the illegality behind it. They deserve a prison sentence and should have a "gun wobble" in their direction to feel the terror they selfishly imposed upon innocent individuals (7). I apologize to those I have contested, but I fundamentally oppose supporting or rationalizing their horrendous act of "redemption." I would have preferred to orate this in class, however I do not believe time nor Ms. Serensky would have condoned such a rant.

3 comments:

  1. Adam-

    I completely agree with your aversion to the armed robbery committed by the couple in "The Second Bakery Attack." In the past year, multiple tragedies have appeared in news headlines broadcasting the use of guns on innocent people, often times ending in countless deaths. Murakami cannot justify the character's violent actions simply because they had a void to fill. I certainly think that this story and the events of this year call for action from the government, like the implementation of gun control laws.

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  2. I hate to act as the devil's advocate here, but I completely disagree with your point. You do certainly bring up valid points regarding the immortality of armed robbery, but I you falsely support your idea. You say that the couple left the McDonald's traumatized, which does not actually happen, in my opinion. They made sure everybody there did not feel uncomfortable. Instead, they took every precaution and held no intentions of hurting them. So, I believe you could have proved your point better. Also, the white type stands out as extremely bright on the black. I felt like I needed to wear sunglasses while reading it.

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  3. I felt similarly surprised when the goodness of armed robbery came up as a subject of debate. Especially when the couple only got a bunch of overly processed and hormone-filled beef. While the couple may have benefited from it, I use the belief that the good of the many outweighs the good of the few in all facets of society as the foundation for most other beliefs I have. And if "the good of the few" involves eating way to much McDonald's, people arguing to the contrary have no leg to stand on and they know it.

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