(Photo taken from http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumb_334/122698095815R9y2.jpg)Let us just suppose that the whole world was a classroom and that each country is a student in that class.
The class attendance sheet would contain names such as Mr. USA, Mr. Russia, Mr. China, Mr. Finland...and so on. Of course, we should not forget that somewhere in that list would also be a Mr. Philippines.
We are all aware that in any class, there would be top performing students and, well...less than stellar ones. If the world were a classroom, the student who would rank the highest in all curricular ( and perhaps, even extra-curricular ) activities, the student who serves as the yardstick by which all the other members in class are evaluated, would arguably be Mr. USA. This particular genius excels in science and technology, in the arts, in the fields of commerce and industry, as well as economics. Why, Mr. USA would also fare outstandingly well in sports and military studies. In short, it doesn't take a genius to think of Mr. USA as the Top Dog. He might as well be the class President, too.
However, it would also be apparent that some other students are also eagerly competing with Top Dog Mr. USA. These students distinguish themselves as a fervent group that, in their own respective ways, strive to at least achieve merits that could rival some abilities of Mr. USA. Mr. Japan, for one, would probably be neck-and-neck with Mr. USA in the field of science and technology. Mr. China has recently emerged as a brilliant economic tactician. There would also be the erstwhile presence of Mr. Russia, Mr. UK, Mr. Germany, Mr. South Korea, Mr. Finland, Mr. Brazil, along with a host of others who unabashedly display flashes of ability which give them a fair amount of class "honors".
(Photo taken from http://library.thinkquest.org/20117/media/medal.jpg)
Perhaps, like in any other typical class, this "classroom of the world" would have three groups of students. First, the Elite Top 10 Students, each of whom typifies the ever assiduous student vying for Top Dog position, and who also virtually exert the most significant influence over the classroom.
( Photo taken from http://www.hull.ac.uk/scg/Cavendish%20Medal%20Award1_files/image002.jpg)
Below the Top 10 would be the mid-performers, who are mediocre or run-of-the-mill--these students would simply be content with obtaining the minimum "passing grades" on their "subjects".
(Photo taken from http://www.kuyper.edu/uploadedImages/Website/Academics/1RBCD7GZ8250%20academics%20students%20in%20classroom.jpg)Way below would be the bottom feeders--students who are forever tardy in class, totally uninterested in self-improvement, and would most likely disrupt any class discussion with rambunctiuous demonstrations of hooliganism. Some people may classify them as students who don't care about their own future. Some people dismiss them as worthless members of the class, which the classroom could do well without.
( Photo taken from http://www.gabrielwoods.com/gab%20highland%20fling.jpg )
We Pinoys are specially fond of students who excel. Many Pinoy families pride themselves with their one or two family members who receive the most number of academic honors in class.
Could we as a whole country also be proud of Mr. Philippines as a member of the "world classroom"? Would Mr. Philippines be deserving of a high grade in this class? Would Mr. Philippines be among the top elite? Would he be a mediocre student? Is he an underachiever? Is he a bottom-feeder, which means that the classroom could do better without him ever being there in the first place?
Would you give Mr. Philippines an A-grade?
No comments:
Post a Comment