Redmond 1

Shannon Redmond
Ms. Thompson
AP Lang, Block 1, Skinny A
May 5, 2015
I Just Wanna Be Average Essay: Publish-Ready
Expectations vs. Reality
Nelson Mandela once said, Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use
to change the world because it helps a society grow and prosper. Education helps citizens
realize their purpose and potential in the world by expanding their knowledge of how they can
contribute to the cohesive effort. James Baldwin originally wrote A Talk to Teachers in the
form of a speech, which he delivered to New York City in 1963. The issues presented in the
essay are still present today because it explains the aim of education, societys abhorrence to
change, and how people are oblivious toward its purpose.
Firstly, education is an enlightening experience, which is meant to instruct people on
the current knowledge and issues of society (Education). Through knowledge, people
collaborate to find new ways to solve these issues. When Baldwin states that the purpose of
education is to create in a person the ability to look at the world for himself, he means that
people must look at situations with objectivity (Baldwin 2). This is accurate because education
establishes the perspective in which people confront the world and its dilemmas. Through
education, people learn to analyze various scenarios and evaluate the best possible way to reach
a desired outcome. In addition, education teaches citizens to think independently . . . [because]

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individuals are valued for their unique contributions and their ability to think creatively, take
initiative, and incorporate a global perspective into their decisions (Jones). For example,
education helps people assess which rationale behind the Ferguson shooting is most cogent.
Without education, the government would mold citizens choices. Education is crucial in life; a
world without education is like a world without oxygen.
Secondly, societies do not want citizens to champion the average because societies are
indolent (Rose 12). It takes more effort to change something than to keep it the same. Through
protests, people encourage change to help provide equal opportunities and chances for all.
Baldwin states that societies only want citizens who will simply obey the rules (Baldwin 2).
This is accurate because some societies are condescending toward the population because they
want to keep problems at rest. For example, the media is controlled by the dictatorial Kim Jong
Un in North Korea because he does not want his citizens to flee the country. When censored, the
amount of information available to the public becomes minuscule. This prevents people from
becoming free thinkers; they will grow up without knowing how to think for themselves. For
society, change is bad because they are afraid of the unknown. The present is secure and definite,
while the future is unknown and frightening.
In conclusion, Baldwin meticulously describes current issues by explaining educations
purpose, peoples resistance to change, and societies ignorance. The purpose of education is to
allow everyone a chance at success and to encourage people to look at the different perspectives
of a situation. Evaluating both sides of a problem helps change society for the better. Society

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wants citizens to follow the rules because disobeying them would encourage change. Change is a
scary and unwanted dynamic to society because it is unpredictable. Overall, society cannot
suppress peoples opposing viewpoints because education ensures the analysis of events.

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Work Cited
"Education." : Definition of in Oxford Dictionary (American English) (US). Oxford University
Press, Jan. 2015. Web. 31 Jan. 2015.
Baldwin, James. "The Negro Child - His Self Image" The Saturday Review, Dec. 1963. 30 Jan.
2015.
Jones, Kim. "What Is The Purpose Of Education?" Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 15 Aug. 2012.
Web. 29 Jan. 2015.
"James Baldwin - Biography." James Baldwin. The European Graduate School, 2012. Web. 29
Jan. 2015.
Rose, Mike. I Just Wanna Be Average. Rereading America. 7th ed. Ed. Gary Colombo, Robert
Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle. Boston: Bedford St. Martins, 2007. 161-172. Print.