The Second Edition

November 1, 2024

A Message From The Editor:

Dear Readers,

With the election just around the corner, I thought now would be just the right time to tell you my political opinions: from the fake moon landing to immigration, taxation to the electoral college, and all the way to the deep state, I’m spilling everything. 

No, no, don’t click away just yet.

Of course, I’m kidding… 

I’m sure you’re sick of hearing everyone’s political hottakes and opinions. 

Especially from those who are ill-informed. It seems like everyone who knows nothing about politics is always speaking the most about a particular new bill.

As annoying as Don Lemon and Ben Shapiro can be at times, they are at least (somewhat) in the know. And truly, the only reason we don’t like them is because we don’t agree with their opinions.

Which is fine. 

But what I would urge you to do is take time this political season to form your own opinion. Don’t just piggyback off of someone else’s; take in as much factual information as you possibly can while forming your own stance on a subject or presidential candidate.

Use multiple sources to acquire your information to make an informed decision. It is our duty as American citizens to participate in the voting process, and to truly participate in this process we must be in the know. 

Don’t just pick all Republicans or all Democrats. 

I’m all for being a loyal party member. What I am not for is voting blindly because you’re making the assumption that just because someone has the title of Democrat or Republican, they automatically deserve a vote. 

Take one cup of coffee to research all the people that are going to be on your ballot come November 5th. So that you can truly know who you are voting for.  

One final thing, once you have amassed all this knowledge about all the political candidates and have formed your opinions as a result…keep them to yourself, nobody needs to hear all of your opinions on Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, we’ve heard enough already. 

Find Your Poll Here

With that…

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

The Needs of the Few and the Needs of The Many

Who is most likely to know the needs of the citizens in a given city or town? The mayor of that town or the president that presided over the entire country? Well, of course, the mayor would know best; he or she has boots on the ground, dealing with the everyday issues of the community. 

Now, let’s apply this same logic to our current schooling system. Who knows the needs of the students best, the teachers and principals on campus or the superintendent? Again, of course, the teachers and administrators understand the needs of their students best. 

This ideology should also apply in another way. A school that serves thousands of students cannot possibly be as effective as a school serving a couple hundred students. Because there are fewer total students, teachers and administrators would be able to create more of a community with the school itself—a proper neighborhood school.

This begs the question: are small schools more effective than large schools?

A smaller school would imply smaller class sizes, more community-oriented, and less chaos. Smaller schools often have a better sense of community because everyone knows everyone. This also makes it easier to control the hallways. Especially in a middle school, every teacher can relate to seeing a rowdy group of pre-teens, but it’s hard to control them if you don’t know them. But if you know every student’s mom and grandma, it makes classroom and student management a breeze. 

It’s not possible to do this in a larger school. Imagine a high school with four thousand students; it’s hard enough to remember the one hundred fifty students you have on your roster, let alone students you don’t have. But what large schools lack in familiarity, they more than make up for in special programs.

After-school clubs and elective classes are almost always better at larger schools, primarily because of the money but also because larger schools require more classes because of more students. Essentially, they’re made out of necessity. 

The question still stands: what size of school is most effective?

It depends on the student, the family, and the student’s future goals. 

If all schools were more centralized, then administrators and teachers would have more say over how their school was run. The campus knows the needs of its students and community better, which is why each campus could, and should, operate as its own district. Instead of having to answer to a school board that oversees twenty-five or more campuses and a superintendent who is far more concerned with their political standing, each individual school could form its own school board that would sit over just that campus and the principal would be the supreme power at the school.  Giving the administrators of that campus the power and ability to make meaningful decisions to benefit the students and teachers better. 

Not only would this contribute to the community aspect, but it would also create the opportunity for more schools to be constructed, thus allowing for more schools that are smaller in total enrollment and overall size. 

Families deserve to have a school that knows and understands the needs of their communities. A school that has over a thousand students enrolled cannot possibly have the opportunity for unity that a school with half or even a quarter of that can.

While there may be a significant upfront cost, in the end, the payout would more than justify it. 

This month’s art highlight is The Persistence of

Memory by Salvador Dalí

Its melting clocks symbolize time's fluidity and the imagination's potential. It encourages a view of time as something to be embraced creatively.

Micro or Macro?

What are the chances that the world eventually becomes one big country and sovereign borders are no longer a thing? Possibly sooner than you think.

The way the world economy and governments are making moves to combine, the likelihood of a worldwide governing body is not too far-fetched.

But is this the best for society as a whole? It would remove the individuality of each country and culture and create a worldwide regime. 

This idea of globalization connects the whole world. We can call someone on the other side of the world, watch news channels in countries we’ve never been to, and purchase products from all over the world.

But is this a good thing? Do we ultimately benefit from this? Or is there a hidden negative? 

Globalization takes away the culture and personality of a country.

The idea that huge companies supply goods and services to the whole world means that the entire world is dependent on that company. If Apple stopped making phones, computers, and software, many places worldwide would be scrambling to figure out how to continue with their lives. 

Nike stopped making shoes and clothes, and suddenly, people were not only without clothes but also lacking the “fashion” of wearing that brand. Global apparel brands diminish the individuality of a person and a specific culture. If more apparel brands were centralized in a country or even continent, then there could be more pride in that brand.

But if five billion people have the same Adidas shirt, it’s not that special. Also, clothes could be made with higher quality and made in the country where they are sold, not outsourced to third-world countries. This would create more jobs worldwide because there would be more companies to create more jobs. 

The idea of an organization like NATO promotes globalization. Countries are not only allied with each other but are also obligated to get involved in each other's conflicts. It’s one thing entirely to ally with a country, whether it be an economic ally-trading goods that can only be produced in that region or country or a strategic ally that benefits you in times of war. If there is no reason to be allied with a country, then don’t be. You don’t have to be enemies with them, but leave countries to deal with their own problems. 

At what point will there just be two world organizations, each with half of the world's countries “allied” together? That is a recipe for disaster. A global war would surely follow. 

Globalization diminishes the independence of countries and cultures. Countries should seek to start more companies that represent their values and keep those companies in their country to support their economy, not the economy of the whole world.

Countries should be wary of joining global task groups and organizations because it removes the importance of sovereign borders and cultural individuality. Countries should seek to be independent and neutral instead of partisan and dependent. 

This is more of a comment on the culture surrounding globalization, not necessarily the governmental realities that encourage it. Yes, I understand that it is the 21st century and that countries have the ability to trade with each other, and companies have the ability and right to outsource the production of their goods and services to wherever they please. 

But should they? 

Should major retail brands produce all of their shirts, shorts, and shoes in Southeast Asia? 

Should America feel the need to get involved in every war that happens on the map? Should governments hedge their bets by giving money to both sides of a war? 

Or should we embrace our own countries and stop worrying about others so much?

We should.

“The more I read, the more I acquire, the more certain I am that I know nothing.”

- Voltaire

Why Work-Life Balance is A Joke

Balance.

A condition in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions.

Is balance possible in life?

Often, people talk about finding a work-life balance.

But is this even achievable?

Is it necessary?

Why are we seeking to balance our lives with our work?

Shouldn’t our work be a part of our life? 

More than anything, I would say that most people would like to enjoy their life, and a major part of that is your chosen profession.

But it’s important to remember that it’s not the only factor in life enjoyment. 

Arguably, your partner, friends, and the community you choose to belong to can have a more profound impact on your enjoyment of life than your career. 

That said, don’t settle for a job that requires you to “balance” your life. You should view your job as an opportunity to learn and grow instead of seeing it as a burden. 

I think people often forget that work is an important part of life. To understand that, you have to dedicate yourself to something. Then, your life will not be mundane and pointless; instead, it will have a true purpose. 

That doesn’t mean you have to love what you do absolutely, but giving it all of your efforts is essential.

Loving what you do means finding joy and fulfillment in your work, while giving it your full effort means being dedicated and committed to doing your best, even when the tasks are challenging or mundane. 

If you genuinely hate going to work every day, then change your profession. 

Sometimes, you may not have the option to change because it’s important to provide for yourself and those you care about first, but if you have the chance, take the leap and go do something you love. 

More often than not, you will be more successful doing work you are passionate about and will be more successful than doing a job you are indifferent about. 

The point should be to create a life that doesn’t require you to escape from it every weekend, where the Sunday night blues aren’t a thing because you enjoy your work. 

Either way, there should be a switch, whether that switch is to a new career where you can reach your full potential or a change in perspective to give your life more responsibility and meaning. 

This Month’s Book Recommendation

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah is a heartfelt and witty memoir that details the author’s upbringing as the mixed-race child of a black mother and a white father in apartheid South Africa, highlighting the struggles of navigating identity and belonging in a racially divided world.

Thank you for reading this edition of The Visionary Herald. If you found it enjoyable, share it with friends and family. Your support broadens the audience and encourages meaningful conversations.