Welcome

Welcome to JFS School's official Blog. This is our third year of the blog and represents a chance for our new team of intrepid student journalists to write what's on their minds. The Autumn term’s blog theme focuses on “Inspiration” - so stay tuned for some fantastic creative writing.


Monday 29 September 2014

INSPIRATION: Steve Jobs

A wise man once told an interesting quote,
Even though he was a billionare, he would walk home with a hoodie on or a coat.
He was always known by his brilliance,
And even when he was fired, he still had charisma and resilience.
He also created the iPhone,
He also made another way to enjoy life at home.
He next made the Mac,
which could play a music track.
He had a desire to settle for nothing less than perfection,
And with everyone he met he left a good… no great impression.
After he was fired from being CEO, he didn’t cry,
But had to watch his company crumble, when everyone said… why?
That was when he became CEO again and took over,
But his kindness and hard work flourished, saving his company, he was luckier than a four leaf clover.
That’s when a wise man once said…
“Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me… Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful… That’s what matters to me”


… Steve Jobs 1955-2011

INSPIRATION: It is time to get out of bed!

It is Year 11, and I won’t lie; the outlook is bleak. Put aside a triple-dip recession with no end in sight. Put aside global political instability and the very real prospect of looming war in the East, not to mention a number of vast humanitarian problems. Like many, I’m currently engaged in the tedious and soul-destroying process of taking tens of exams as part of my statutory GCSEs. Should I achieve reasonable success in these, I’ll be able to access two more sets of exams, AS and then A2 levels. Only if I prevail in these and win a relative lottery, will I be permitted access to university. And from there, things get harder. The only easy day was yesterday.

With this in mind, I sometimes ask myself what my inspiration is for getting out of bed in the morning. Truancy laws notwithstanding, the question of ‘Why bother?’ is a poignant one for the half million or so people my age in the UK. I’m still waiting for the definitive answer, if there even is one. But in the meantime, I thought I’d try and write my own. By almost all measures, we’re set to be the healthiest, smartest, most tolerant and promising generation of humans to have ever existed. And we’re all about to come of age. We are safer and more secure than any who have come before us. Not because of the size of our armies, the height of our walls or the might of our weapons. We are safe because we are the children of a peacetime set to outlast any before it. We are safe because our parents tore the walls down and buried the hatchets. The focus of scientists moved to technology that can enhance life rather than end it.


Contrary to what I said at the start, the road paved for us is a smoother one than it has ever been. Yet there is still a huge amount left to be done. Fifteen years ago, not long after the generation I’m part of was born, a group of world leaders took their seats at a table and made some promises about what they were going to do for humanity in the next fifteen years. The promises included eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, and giving every child a primary education, as well as various other commitments. Sadly, although things improved, none of the promises were truly fulfilled. They couldn’t or wouldn’t finish the job. We can do better. We must do better. We will do better. We have to finish what they started. If the promise of a generation is to leave behind something better than they themselves were left, then we have work to do. It’s time to get out of bed.

INSPIRATION: 'Into the Wild'

I have just watched one of my favourite films. It is a film that some critics have lauded as revolutionary and some have panned as over-acted and aimed at the shoe-gazer in all of us. The film in question is ‘Into the Wild’; the cinematic portrayal of John Krakauer’s bestselling novel of the same name. It tells of the true story of Christopher McCandless’ journey to find meaning and freedom, away from his view of the materialistic and subversive nature of the world. Although his journey ends in tragedy in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness, he gains from his travels.  He realises the value of shared experience and his world-views are challenged. This, to me, is the essence of what it means to travel. Films such as this one, books like Kerouac’s ‘On the Road’ and poetry such as Robert Frost’s iconic ‘The Road not Taken’ are what inspire people to get out there, away from the norms of daily life, to see the wonders this big blue marble offers to those who venture far. Literature and the arts are, since the decline of pilgrimage in the modern age, the driving force for adventure and exploration away from the comforts of home. Writers and artists use the tools of their trade to inspire wanderlust and encourage people to do good for the world. Since before I can remember, all I’ve wanted to do is get out there, escape the suburban sprawl and see and experience the marvels of the world. This love of all things different from the status quo has given me a level-headed vision on the Earth and its problems. I credit writers, poets and artists for giving me this passion and drive. The Earth is something that should be treasured and thankfully, intellectuals understand this; they are people who inspire.