Generation Why

Prompt: "If you can do a half-assed job of anything, you're a one-eyed man in a kingdom of the blind" (Kurt Vonnegut). 

Kurt Vonnegut says a whole lot about mankind in one, straight to the point, no nonsense kind of sentence. His first point is that half-assing a job, or to put it into other words, not giving 100% of your effort, is an acceptable way to be successful in this world. And his second point is that, by not giving your all, you can still be better than most people. But, it is his last argument that is most unsettling to me, which is that an individual who slacks off will be a "one-eyed man in a kingdom of the blind." The idea that a majority of the people in this world are somehow symbolically blind is troubling. And it is understanding what they are blind to that I struggle with. Are they blind to their potential? Are they blind to the fact that they are not doing their best? Or, are they blind to the needs of this world? But, based on what Vonnegut believes, if they can somehow manage to give just a little but more of their effort, then one eye will open. So, the next question I wonder about is, how can we push these people to open the other eye? And then, how can we get everybody to do the same? People tend to lean towards the pack mentality, "the blind leading the blind." But where will mankind's future lead to if no one had the courage or strength to open both of their eyes and see whats ahead of them?

- Attiyya Settle