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Comparing Coates's Between The World And Me

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There are many ways of learning. Every person learns differently. However, it is irrefutable that everybody learns via actions. In Coates novel, Between the World and Me, he discusses his education through living in the world opposed to just reading about it. The knowledge you earn from experiencing is in my opinion way more worthwhile than the knowledge you receive from a classroom. So, what is the difference between the places you may learn? To begin, in the classroom the history we are taught differs from what we live. We learn about our country’s resilience, our strength, our bravery. Coates makes a point on this he states, “America makes no claim to the banal. America believes itself exceptional, the greatest and noblest nation to ever …show more content…

I speak not of the morality of nonviolence, but of the sense that blacks are in especial need of this nonviolence,”(Coates 32). Leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., James L. Farmer Jr., and Dorothy Height are praised for their peaceful manner. They achieved and made a difference without hurting the opposing party. However, Leaders such as Nat Turner are not held as highly because of the violent path they chose. Why when learning of Nat Turner’s Revolt are his slave owners made the victims? To further on that point why when learning of the revolution why are war generals made out as heroes and saviors? Was the war not just as violent and gruesome as Nat’s Revolt. Were both parties not fighting for their freedom? So why when learning about it in a classroom is one event more acceptable than the other? It is agreed that protests should be executed nonviolently, but it is accepted and normalized that whites are violent. We are shown proof of this even today in comparison of the reaction and outcomes of the the “Black Lives Matter” protests and the gatherings of family friendly whites in places such as, Charlottesville, …show more content…

The education you get from a traditional classroom is no less important than the lessons you learn by living. However, real world learning takes what a book gives you and makes you want to do something. You do not walk out of anatomy and think, “wow I want to be a physical therapist.” No, you see Kevin Ware’s bone come out of his lower leg and follow his road to recovery. You want to be the person that fixes someone’s favorite player. The lessons the world offers and the ones you take away from a classroom are very much related. They both shape you in the best way possible but it is up to you retain and take out of it. There is a chance to learn everywhere you go it is up to you to take

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