You’ve probably wondered it in the middle of a history test or on the first day of a new social studies class, or maybe your teachers have even asked you themselves—why does anything from the past decade, century or even millennium matter? Shouldn’t we be looking at the future, and not the past? 

However, looking at the past is essential. Any educated person should know that the past is what moves us forward. It helps us grow and think. We either learn from the past or we ignore it—and either way, there are consequences.

In 1953, Ray Bradbury published his most iconic work, “Fahrenheit 451.” The dystopian noveltakes a look at a future society in which books are outlawed and destroyed by “firefighters.” The community is lazy and careless, absorbed in television and disinterested in the outside world. Suicide and empty-mindedness plague everyone, including firefighter Guy Montag, until one day he meets his strange neighbor, who causes him to have a revelation about the empty life that he and everyone around him has been living.

The winner of numerous prestigious awards, Bradbury’s book was terrifyingly ahead of its time and is intensely thought-provoking. The novel takes a trip to a reality of repressed and censored individual minds, influenced by a ban on intelligence and technology smothering free will. With an HBO adaptation coming later this year, the book and our modern lives are eerily similar.

The common expression “ignorance is bliss” is discussed heavily throughout the book, and is proven to be far from what we need to live by—the actions taken by Montag (stealing books to read himself, running away from the authorities) show that we as people have a thirst for knowledge. Additionally, it shows that if we are blind to truth and intelligence, we lose power over our own lives—no more control, and an intense lack of individuality and life.

 Other issues the book deals with are censorship and freedom of speech. These are widely disputed topics, especially with the intense spike of television and the Internet. In our modern lives, opinions are everywhere. According to statista.com, 81 percent of Americans and 2.46 billion users worldwide use social media. Anyone has the ability to put out whatever they want into the world, and that scares many people.

But copious studies on technology and its effects on humans, as well as Bradbury himself, have expressed concern about if this surplus of information is good. While books haven’t been forgotten or neglected, “Fahrenheit 451” brings up the idea that we may eventually reach the point where nobody bothers with them anymore—that the ban on books will be something we inflicted upon ourselves.

The past matters. One lesson we can take from “Fahrenheit 451” is that we need to read, to learn. Not just to to help ourselves, but to help the world around us. We need to read because without reading, how will we grow? And though Bradbury’s narrative includes the fear that television and radio are what will destroy our minds, as long as we know that ignorance is not bliss, we can truly prevent the future he terrifyingly portrays.

if you needed a sign,

this is it right here.

while you’re out here living just fine,

i’ll be here mending a tear

that was left in my garden.

your tongue’s in your cheek--

excuse if i don’t accept your pardon.

your excuses are weak.

you can’t pronounce my name?

chamo, you didn’t try hard enough.

but correcting you doesn’t fill me with shame

not as much as i once was.

see i’ve been on a path,

a path of loving my locks.

i don’t hold any wrath

but i turn against the orthodox.

because Joropo Llanero fills my ears,

and the taste of learnt seasoning is upon my tongue.

my grandmother’s soft words is what i hear,

even though i am still young.

my face was crafted on old words

my soul was filled with new views.

we are the butterflies, not the birds

and we are far from blue.

my skin like the sand of my father's beaches,

my hair like the curls of my mother's coming of age,

the traditions of my dirt where people stood spoke speeches

i stand now proudly upon a stage.

I carry new perspectives on my shoulders,

but hold my latin heart close.

white hispana scolders--

but is that all, you suppose?

western asian? never heard of her.

boricua, sounds familiar

lebanon, rico and cuba are my mother’s whispers

venezuela is my father’s reconciliar

until i say so the word terrorist never crosses your mind.

arabian princess, i am not.

my spanish speak might be blind,

and as for terror and hate, i find fraught.

call me gringa as you please,

but i know much better.

i’ve discovered my blood with ease,

and i write about it like a love letter.

i dress talk learn breathe for me,

but i live for you.

and i know the roots hold the key,

to turn the lies they fed us untrue.

“WHITES ONLY” signs are no longer found in America, yet racism is still a problem here. Despite the progress this nation has made, there are (metaphorically) still people who would prefer that minorities sit in the back of the bus. It’s likely these behaviors don’t fall far from the tree, and parents have planted these ideologies into their heads. I recall many experiences with children saying things they did not realize were offensive—for example, a kindergartener once said to me that Tiana was the worst Disney princess because “her skin was black.”

The best way to increase racial tolerance is by teaching children how to behave in more accepting ways towards other races. As generations grow and change, it’s their responsibility to pass down teachings of racial tolerance. While some believe discussing race with children is uncomfortable, it is absolutely necessary. 

Parents can raise their kids to be racist unintentionally by not addressing race with them at all. If parents put racism on the table as a topic of discussion, it will make kids more tolerant towards other races because it will make children comfortable about it. 

Ruthie Vincil, a white mother of a young daughter, has been teaching her daughter about racism since she was four. Vincil realized that with her white privilege, she was responsible for informing her daughter about racism so she would not remain ignorant of her privilege. “Like the ocean’s undertow, racism is a strong force and it is easy to let it carry you,” Vincil said. “If I do not actively teach my children to be vigilant anti-racists, they will not be able to see racism until it is too difficult to get back to shore. In fact, they may not even be able to see shore at all.” Her discussion of race with her child prompted her daughter to become cautious of becoming racist herself.

Madeline Rogin, a kindergarten teacher at Prospect Sierra School, had difficulty teaching her students the full truth about Martin Luther King Jr. She shared that she rushed over parts about segregation out of discomfort towards explaining it to children. However, she realized she was being unfair by not teaching her students the full story of how he became so influential. “I learned that it is impossible to teach my daughter or my students about who Dr. King was without also telling the ugly truth about racism,” she said.

Speaking to children about racism could expand their acceptance towards others. There are many ways to help kids become racially tolerant. RaceConcious.org, a popular “resource for talking about race with young children,”  suggests challenging stereotypes in front of kids: “Say ‘I don’t like this image’ when you see a stereotype reinforced. Using simple, concrete language, try to explain why.”

 RaceConcious also recommends discussing fairness: “The concept of fairness is a daily part of a child’s life—so it is an accessible and natural way to frame conversations about equity with our youngest children (including toddlers!)” For more strategies for combating internalized racism in children, visit RaceConcious.org for tips. And remember, as Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

Heartbreak is hard to deal with, but do you know how to get over it quickly? Well I know, so keep reading to find out. 

You're just playing with their heart. You have to be okay with yourself before going out with other people—I mean, think about it, it if you’re not okay with yourself, how are you going to let someone else in?

 Instead, take your time and enjoy being single. If you’re not enjoying your free time, you’re not going to know how to be independent, so take your time. HAVE FUN, STAY BUSY. 

Listen—if you’re in bed all day thinking about that person, what is that going to accomplish? Go out and have fun with your friends by having a sleepover or a girls/boys night out.

You know when your mom tells you this person is not good for you and it ends up being true? Well, that’s because she has great instincts. Listen to her, but don’t let other people get into your head! This annoys me so much because your love life is your business, not theirs. Plus, what if your friend ends up liking the same person and she tells you that he did this and that, and it’s not true? Then you and your boyfriend might end up breaking up.

When you find a new boy/girlfriend, make sure you don’t let them do things you don’t want to. If your boy or girl makes you feel like you have to do something to stay with him or her, that is a red flag!

Finally, make sure you always talk things out. If you have a problem, it’s good to talk it out instead of hiding it. If you want to argue with your girl or boy because you feel some type of way, then argue. Arguing can be good. It takes things out of your mind and puts them out in the open. Communication is key in a good relationship!

According to YouTube Headquarters, a number of popular YouTubers are not getting paid for their content because they are putting their fans’ lives at risk or uploading offensive content. 

The conversation about YouTube demonetization, or the ceasing of payment from YouTube to content creators, started in 2017 when thefamous YouTuber, comedian Pewdiepie, was demonetized for his extremely popular videos, despite the fact that he had previously  monetized those videos by allowing YouTube to run ads on them. 

This demonitization was the result of Pewdiepie making an anti-Semitic joke in a video he posted. As a result of the backlash, he  was demonetized. Now, famous Youtubers all over the world—like Logan Paul, Casey Neistat, SuperMarioLogan, Jake Paul, Jacksepticeye, and Markiplier—are losing money for the use of curse words, racial slurs, and the creation of insensitive videos. 

While some YouTubers do create inappropriate content, I think there is a certain group of  YouTubers that is unfairly demonetized—those who do dangerous stunts. They create lots of interesting content like recording crazy stunts, pulling pranks, playing violent games, summoning spirits and many more unpredictable things. They get millions of views for making chaotic videos that technically put their lives on the line. YouTubers do all of that to entertain the kids and teenagers who watch their channels. While some might argue that they are a bad influence on their teen viewers, these YouTubers don’t know that their fans are going to do those same stunts they do; they are just trying to entertain them.

 Stunt YouTubers create crazy videos for entertainment purposes, not for viewers to risk their lives and try to do what they do. This is not the same as posting hateful or disrespectful content.  If viewers try to copy the stunts that professionals do and get hurt, it should not cause these Youtubers to be demonetized.