Flaherty1

LoganFlaherty RobertArnold English1101 13November2013

TheShouldbes MartinLutherKingJr.sIHaveaDreamspeechisperhapsthemostfamousspeechin Americanhistory.Inthisspeech,Dr.Kingwasnotactuallytalkingaboutliteraldreams,butwas fightingforequality.Unknowingly,hecreatedapowerfulmonstertowhicheveryonehasbecomeso attached.Dr.MartinLutherKingJrcreatedanarmy. Icallthisnewarmytheshouldbes.Theyarenotanarmythatisdestructivebutmoreofthe protectors.Theyprotectpeoplesdreams.Theyareagroupofpeoplewhohavefinallyfoundtheir passionsinlifebyexploringtheworldofopportunitiesoutsideoftheiracceptedstereotypesandcultural expectations.Unfortunately,wedonotliveinasocietywhereeveryonecansuccessfullylivetheir dreams.Thereisagroupofpeoplewhohaverealisedthisandtheyhavedecidedtonoteventry.This grouphasrejectedtheirdreamsformorepracticalreasonsandthisiswhatmakesthema shouldbe.Theirlackofpursuitiswhatplacestheminthisarmy.

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Therearemanytypesofshouldbes,butIamonlygoingtofocusonmusicalshouldbes. Thesearethepeoplethatareextremelygiftedinthefieldofmusicbutwillneverpursueitbecauseitis notaneasyfield,itisnotasuccessfulfield.WhenIinterviewedaverytalentedshouldbe,Alana Lee,shesaid,Iwouldrathergowithamorestable[major].[Music]isntafinanciallystable.Imnot abouttobeastarvingartist.WhenIinterviewedotherartists,theyagreed.Themajorityofpeople saidthatitwasbecausemusicisnotthemoststablewaytosupportoneself.Iaminthesameboat.I amnotpursuingmusicbecauseitdoesnotseemlikeanattainablegoalforme.Iguessthiscomesfrom anabundanceofselfdoubt,whichalsoisverycommoninthegroup.AfterInoticedthis,Istarted askingifyouwerepromisedallthatyouneed,wouldyoupursuemusic?mostofthepeople,as expected,said,ofcourse.Anotherreasonpeoplearerejectingtheirdreamofbeingamusicianis becausetheirparentswouldnotapprove.WhenIwasspeakingmycolleague,whosetruedreaminlife istobeaworshipdirector,shetoldmeshecouldneverpursuemusicbecauseherparentsarenigerian. WhenIwastoldthis,Iwasperplexed.Tome,herstatementmadenosense,whatdoesnationality havetodowiththemajoryouchoose?Allcultureshavemusic.Later,sheexplainedtomethatthey movedtoAmericasothatshecouldhaveabetterlifethantheydidgrowingup.Intheireyes,shecould neverbesuccessfulinthemusicfieldandtheyareonlyheretoensurehersuccess. Onacontradictorynote,studyingthesepeople,Inoticedthattheymainlytalkandthinkabout music.Theirfavoritethingstodoallinvolvemusic.Asformyself,youwillrarelyseemewalking aroundcampuswithoutmymusic.Sometimes,itwillbesomeJoshGrobanoperasoundingmonstrosity.

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Theyspendtimewithmusicmajorsandtheywilllearnasmuchastheypossiblycanevenifitseemslike theyareimposing.Mostofthemwillgotopublicplaceswheretheyknowtherewillbemusicandthey willsitandenjoyforhoursonend.Manytimes,theywillmeetupandthengotoperformances together.Whenwewenttothechorusconcert,notonlydidwetalkabouttheflawlesspiercing harmonies,butwealsotalkedabouttheguestconductorandhisformandtechnique.Afterthe performance,theywillspeakwithoutceasingjustaboutthemusicitselfandalsoabouthowitmade themfeel.Theydothesethingsbecausethatisthereescape.Musicistheirwayofgettingawayfrom everyproblemthattheyhave.Theyfeelthatthemusicsurroundsthemandseizesthem.Itencaptures theminaverywarmandcomfortableway.WhenIquestionedthemaboutthis,onequotedBob Marley,hesaid,Onegoodthingaboutmusic,whenithitsyou,youfeelnopain. Sincethisistheirescape,therearentmanyconflictsthatariseintheirgroup.Thereisalways anongoingchallengewhocanbethebest,however.Musicshouldbesalwayswanttobethebestat music,sowhensomeonecomesalongwhoisbetter,theywillclingtothatpersontolearnmorebutif thatpersonlooksdownonthem,allhellbreaksloose.Itisoktoamusicalshouldbetonotbethebest butifitisbroughttotheirattention,itisafighttothedeath.Thisiswhenconflictsarise,groupsstartto formandothergroupsdissipate.Therearesomepeoplewhoaremusicallygiftedandarenotmusic majorswhoarenotacceptedbythegroup.Theyarenotwelcomedbecausetheyareveryawarethat theyaretalentedandtheyfeelthattheyexceloverothers.Theothershouldbesdonotlikethat. Theothersfeellikethispersonisthreateningandpretentious.Which,Ifeel,iscompletelytrue.Itdoes

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seemthatthepersoniscondescendingandegotistical.Whenaskedwhyhethinksheisbetterthan everyoneelse,hestartedreferringtohistechniqueandthefactthathehasbeenclassicallytrainedand hasbeenplayingforalongtime.Afterlearningthis,theothersimmediatelyattacked.Theythen appealedtothemoreemotionalsideofmusicsayingthatthemusicheplaysdoesnothaveanymeaning andthatheplayswithnoemotionso,tothem,heisjustaposer.Thissoundsterriblebutthishas alreadyhappenedthisyearone.Hescoffsatanyonewhodoesplaydirectlyfromsheetmusic.The funnythingis,thesecondbestguythatIhaveheardplaysmainlyfromear.Hedoesnotuseanykindof sheetmusicorotherguideline. Insummary,theshouldbesarethespawnofMartinLutherKingsnation.Theytendtobe exceptionallycordialbutalsoshy.Thisgrouptriestoavoidconflictbutdoesnotenjoyalpha personalities.Throughoutthissemester,Ihavegrowntolovemynewfriends.