The Third Edition

December 6, 2024

A Message from The Editor:

Dear Readers,

I know that it’s now (officially) the Christmas season, and everyone is supposed to be happy, jolly, and drunk on eggnog, but I’ll be honest - I have some reservations about Christmas this year. 

Mainly because half of you started celebrating November 6th. 

I love Christmas. It’s probably my favorite holiday despite the fact that modern society has destroyed its true meaning. Even still, I love this time of year. 

What I don’t love is when people and corporations start shoving the secular Christmas down my throat less than a week after Halloween has ended. 

Santa Clause should make his first Appearance no earlier than the Friday after Thanksgiving. It doesn’t help that here in Texas, it’s still a ripe 85 degrees every day. So when I walk into the store and see everything is already Christmas-themed, yet I’m dripping sweat from the walk inside, my mind and body don’t know what to do. 

Why do we Americans feel the need to celebrate Christmas so early?

You always hear stories about “Christmas in July” or those people who put their trees up in late September but don’t take them down until spring break. As I write this in mid-November, I have already seen people decorate their houses and apartments.

So, what is the draw to Christmas?

It’s not because people are itching to celebrate the birth of Christ; I can tell you that much. I’d be willing to bet that many kids in the generation growing up right now don’t even know why Christmas is a thing. They just know that they get presents and candy from Santa up in the North Pole. 

People love the warm and cozy feelings that Christmas brings, and big companies take massive advantage of this. 

For example, multiple companies are having Black Friday sales in the second week of November. Now, let me be clear: I am all for capitalism and the free market, but this is ridiculous. Why are there already Christmas sections in major grocery stores? People love buying Christmas stuff, so the sooner the store brands it that way, the more stuff you’ll buy. 

This is the downside of consumerism and the free market. Companies know that people will gravitate towards that warm, cozy feeling of Christmas, or they’ll use the term “Black Friday” to make you believe you’re getting an amazing deal on a product or service that, in reality, you could go the rest of your life without ever using. 

I am not blaming the economic system; I am blaming society as a whole. 

We, as Americans, are too quick to go into whatever makes us happiest and easiest to acquire. Whether it be a new pair of shoes, a new car or phone every two years, or even the next TikTok on our feed. We’re so quick to go on to the next “best” thing. 

This is a major societal issue. 

Impulsivity. 

Irrationality.

Irresponsibility. 

Modern American Christmas is now all of these things. 

We no longer celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior. Instead, we worship at the feet of Cyber Monday and ugly sweaters. 

I believe this to be in direct correlation with the lack of church attendance in recent years. Given the fact that people no longer have a higher aim or even a guiding principle in life to steer them, they are often distracted by the world around them and all of its ungodly goods. 

To wrap the bow on this somewhat wordy mouth present, try going to church this year. And not just on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Go on the Sundays leading up to it and the Sundays following. 

Use this link to find a church that aligns with your denomination and beliefs. 

Have a wonderful Christmas holiday, and always remember… 

Christ is King. 

Amen. 

With that…

I hope that you enjoy this edition of The Visionary Herald.

Who Bears the Weight?

Accountability. 

Holding people or systems accountable for the things or people they produce. 

Education is often overlooked as a system that needs to be held accountable. But why? Families and other institutions are often blamed for creating the next generation, which is not untrue. But the average student spends almost eight hours a day in school. 

So, how do we hold schools accountable?

First and foremost, it is the responsibility of schools to hold their students accountable. It's time to break the cycle of students being passed on from grade to grade without properly demonstrating their mastery of grade-level skills. Schools play a pivotal role in this transformation, ensuring that students are held accountable for their performance. Students who fail eighth grade should have to repeat eighth grade, not get passed on to ninth grade, and be given an extra remedial class to “Get them on the level.” Giving students a pass whenever they are obviously not on level is a disservice to the student and discredits the school while simultaneously creating future problems for society. 

Accountability standards within schools need a significant shift. Instead of relying solely on standardized test scores, we need to agree on other methods of measuring a school’s success. Can a student hold a conversation? Control their emotions? Write in complete sentences? Speak in complete sentences? These are the skills that schools should be responsible for instilling in the next generation. 

It’s time to change the type of standards students are expected to master. The skills being taught need to evolve to meet the changing needs of the future. It's not just about academic performance but also about life skills and emotional intelligence. 

There should be an internal auditing system, especially in large districts. A team filled with former educators and administrators will do a deep dive into a school two or three times a year to point out problems that need to be fixed immediately. Often, those in a mess can’t see the mess around them. A team of qualified people who can point out problems or potential problems would be immensely beneficial for schools.

Lastly, whenever a teacher or principal is successful, don’t seek to promote them automatically. Not that they aren’t qualified, but perhaps they can do more in their current position. Often, a principal will have one good year and automatically be up for assistant superintendent or some district-level job. Instead, let them finish their good work in the school. 

It’s important to note that being a teacher is not as appealing as it used to be. While it used to be a respected profession, now, people often settle for “being a teacher.” Teachers shape society and often spend more time with students than their parents. But nowadays, the appeal of teaching is gone because, amongst other reasons, teachers aren’t paid enough, they get little to no support, and other industries poach these would-be teachers. Many people align with the mission behind being a teacher, yet few people are willing to do the work.

Being a teacher is hard, no matter where, who, or what you teach. Regardless, those who are involved in education in the 21st century, from superintendents down to kindergarten teachers, need to be held to a higher standard.

Without proper accountability, education will crumble. Campuses and districts need to be held to a higher standard; in turn, they will hold their teachers and students to a high standard, creating the next great generation.

This month’s art highlight is The Avenue in the Rain by Childe Hassam

It portrays American flags shimmering on a rain-soaked street, blending patriotism with a quiet sense of reflection and resilience.

Majority vs. Minority

What’s more important? You? Or the person next to you?

Or all of the other persons that exist in the world? 

What is most important: the individual or the whole? The answer is not simple but complex and demands careful and thoughtful consideration. 

These questions are often asked when discussing politics, forming unions and governments, and making laws directly impacting daily life.

Another topic is the common good versus the individual rights. Which is most important? 

At first glance, the simple answer is the common good. The term implies that it should obviously benefit everyone. Hence, the idea of an individual right is no longer considered because the assumption is that they would give up a sense of freedom because they get something good in return. However, this is not often the case. People are usually unwilling to give up their freedom so that others benefit from it. Either because they don’t believe it to be a true benefit or because infringement on their liberty outweighs the good everyone would receive.

Those most concerned with individual rights also have solid arguments on their side. A typical example of this is governmental social programs. While social programs are very beneficial to communities and often required to rebuild broken-down neighborhoods, they are costly. So, a government-run social program requires funds from the government, but who does the government get money from? The taxpayers. Imagine that the government raises taxes to help fund these social programs that benefit the common good. Most people would favor helping others, but even more, people don’t want the government to take more of their money. 

The common good versus the rights of one person. Should one person have to sacrifice for the good of everyone? 

No. Mainly because it shouldn’t have come to that. 

The government should not have to start any social programs because the community, those in better situations, should already seek to help those less fortunate. Churches of all kinds should do more to help their community—more for the common good. They should not just donate money to a charity but go out there and do the work. 

This issue of individual rights or the common good wouldn’t have escalated to its current state if more people had taken responsibility for their communities. The responsibility for the common good should not fall on the government; it falls on the communities and those who lead them. 

“The foundation of every state is the education of its youth.”

- Diogenes

This Month’s Book Recommendation

The Anxious Generation examines rising anxiety in young people due to social media pressures, overprotective parenting, and cultural demands for perfection. It highlights how constant comparison, fear of failure, and a lack of resilience-building experiences contribute to mental health struggles.

This can be a short thank you for readying type message.