<p>What score do you think this would get? Please be honest, and any constructive criticism will be appreciated. (:</p>
<p>ESSAY 1
Topic: Is it important to question the ideas and decisions of people in positions of authority?</p>
<p>Response:
"Listen to your parents. Obey your parents." This is the mantra we all hear practically from birth. While it is certainly true that we should respect and carefully consider the opinions of those who are wiser and more experienced then us, in order for change and progress to occur in society we must also sometimes challenge those in charge.</p>
<p>Challenging authority and freely speaking up for what you believe in are two of the most essential elemnts of any functioning democracy. By thinking critically and refusing to blindly accept the status quo, people ensure that the world keeps improving. Such challenges to authority have been essential in the course of human, and particularly American, history. The country was founded in the first place because colonists refused to continue to be bullied and mistreated by a disinterested, tyrannical king. Then, hundreds of years later, better rights for African Americans were finally achieved because of a massive civil rights movement of ordinary people who realized the unfairness of the current situation and set out against the establishment to change it.</p>
<p>Of course, their are always people uncomfortable with the idea of questioning leaders and old ideas. It is human nature to be uncomfortable with change and soothed by the status quo. Additionally, some worry that by questioning the perfection of an established, practice, law, or leader, people will somehow denegrate or destroy it. For instance, many believe that questioning any of their country's policies is "unpatriotic" or "treasonous". However, acknowledging the flaws in something, is the only realistic, intelligent way of looking at the world. Along with the fact that it is an expression of people's essential freedoms, admitting imperfections is necessary before they can be corrected. Only then can progress and positive change be made in this deeply flawed world. Thus, people should not mindlesslly accept the world in its current state, but should instead look at everything around them critically and honestly in order to discover what is perfect the way it is and what simply must be improved.</p>