The first text “Introduction” is quite literally a background and sets the tone for the book. I connected this to the other introduction we read the other week. There is a distinct difference about them though. I noticed a tone of welcome in this one and an invitation to open mindedness that the other essay lacked. The essay before this was just about history. This one is an introduction, not a lesson. I highlighted a few things including WoodsHole MA. I live in Mass. It also said that as of the writing they have received 22,000 essays. That was 2007. It has been 18 years. I can only imagine how many more they have now. I also highlighted “It is interested not in what can be learned in a moment, but over a lifetime.” I loved that quote and think that it truly sums up the idea of the book nicely
I really liked “Be Kind to the Pizza Man”. It was a short and sweet way to start off the book. It brings out Sara’s empathy, how she reminds herself to be humble and how others in the world live their lives. She talks about how diverse the world is and each person has their own story. She reflects on her own struggles with low paying jobs and how it puts the world into perspective again.
Journal #5
Madison Robinson
Introduction:
The introduction of This I Believe written by Jay Allison discussed the main ideas of the various essays written, as well as the types of people who participated in the writings. The collection of essays has a wide range of types of people, ranging from construction workers to politicians. When addressing the writers, they told them to “frame their beliefs in positive terms”. They found that even though they gave the writers a vague idea of what they were to write about, there were similar themes throughout each essay, such as searching for meaning or helping others.
One line that stuck out to me was one that reads “refrain from dwelling on what you do not believe” (Allison, 3). This stuck out to me because it made me think about how many people tend to focus on what they hear around them, rather than thinking about what they really believe.
Be cool to the pizza dude:
Be cool to the pizza dude has an overarching theme of treating people with kindness and respect. The author Sarah Adams discusses four principles that guide her philosophy of how being respectful to the pizza delivery guy would be beneficial. The first principle is humility and forgiveness. Adams uses an analogy of road rage to explain this, overall explaining that it is okay to let things go. The next is empathy, stating that you never know what other people are going through, so you should always treat people with respect. The third is honor, expressing the idea that pizza delivery people are mostly innocent in the grand scheme of the world, so there is no reason to disrespect them. The fourth and final principle is equality, showing that the way you treat others determines your level of equality.
The statement that stood out to me the most was “in the big pizza wheel of life, sometimes you’re the hot bubbly cheese and sometimes you’re the burnt crust; it’s good to remember the fickle spinning of that wheel” (Adams, 9). This reminded me that everyone has their good days and bad days, and that you can never know where anyone is on that wheel.
Jay Alison’s section of This I Believe is an introduction to the modern This I Believe project. The big idea in this introduction is that every essay submitted to the program is significant. A large portion of the introduction is spent detailing the trial that is conveying your beliefs into an essay. A concept I liked in this essay is that the essays in this book convey a lifetime of information: “It is interested not in what can be learned in a moment but over a lifetime.” I never thought of how the essayists in this book are writing about the beliefs they formed over the course of their entire lives, and I find that really incredible. A segment I found confusing was when the news was brought up. “More and more, news output is based not so much on the events of the day but those of the moment.” This part just didn’t click for me, I don’t know what they’re trying to say here.
The essay “Be Cool to the Pizza Dude” is an essay about treating others as equals, as far as I can discern. The main idea of this essay is that it’s wrong to judge people based on their intelligence, strength, or the job they have. A section that I really like and I feel encapsulates the message of this essay is where the essayist describes how their respect for others is how they weigh themselves as a human being. “My measurement as a human being, my worth, is the pride I take in performing my job – any job – and the respect with which I treat others.” I also appreciate how the essayist disses CEO’s which I think is very funny. The only thing that confuses me about this essay is the concept of pizza delivery cars having sirens like a police cruiser. I live in a place where there’s no pizza delivery, so the concept of a pizza delivery car having a siren is very absurd to me.
The big idea in this introduction by Jay Allison seems to be to introduce you to the idea of listening. It mentions many times the value of listening, truly listening, to what other people have to say. I think that is a noble idea. This concept of listening and absorbing what you can from other people’s words and ideas and philosophies is something I think I will take to heart.
I liked reading about what spurns a writer to look this deeply inwards and examine who they are at their core. Some reflect on when beliefs were tested or made, others dive deep into the sea of their brain hunting for the perfect shell, and others had to face their own selves after seeing someone else lose theirs. That last part really resonated with me. I had to confront who I was at my core when I was working in a nursing home. The people I was surrounded by once had their own lives, their own beliefs and memories. But those beliefs had been eroded away by time and disease, and they lost bits and pieces of themselves until nothing was left. It made me think about who I was, what I believed, and what experiences have made me who I am today.
I was confused as to why Allison mentioned not judging someone else’s beliefs. I admit, I will always hear a person out, but if at your core, you are not a good person (at least in my eyes), then I will disagree. I understand the paradoxical nature of disagreeing with someone’s core beliefs, and the potential hypocrisy in my statement, but I really do think that personal beliefs can and should be questioned.
The big idea of this piece was to describe why the “This I Believe” radio show was so important for people to share with others. How lots of different people were interviewed, people with different jobs and outlooks on life. He explained how the attempt of sharing had value in itself. The idea that the stories would help people was good enough to be shared to many people. He also described where the “This I Believe” concept is now. How there is a website people can go on to read interviews. Jay Allison also explained how the interviews impact people in society today. For example, a “This I Believe” essay has been read at weddings.
A concept that I liked from the Introduction piece would be a quote on page 6. “Beliefs are choices. No one has the authority over your personal beliefs. Your beliefs are in jeopardy only when you don’t know what they are.” I think this is very important for everyone to hear. I agree that your beliefs are yours, and they can’t be taken from you.
I couldn’t find an idea that confused me or that I disagreed with in the reading. I agreed with everything Jay Allison had to say in his Introduction.
Sarah Adam’s Be Cool to the Pizza Dude.
The big idea of this piece of writing was to explain the philosophy of life. The rules that people should live their lives by. Those rules would be humility and forgiveness, empathy, honest work, and equality. These ideas can make you think and act in a way that is good to yourself and to others.
A concept that I liked from this piece would be a quote on page 9 from the book. This quote states “I am equal to all I meet because of the kindness in my heart”. I really like this quote because it shows how you should think about others. Being kind to others is free, and doesn’t take that much time out of your day. I think this is a quote society should live by more, and more positive things would be happening in this world.
In this piece of writing I couldn’t find an idea that I disagreed with or confused me. I think it was interesting that she used a pizza driver as an analogy to get her point across in the reading.
Introduction:
The main idea of the introduction is to show how many people were inspired by This I Believe. Allison explains how the initial radio show allowed millions of people to really think about their core beliefs and write them down in the essays that now make up the book. Everyone sat down and dug deep into their minds to find their inner most beliefs and then wrote them down for the world to see. This takes tremendous courage. I really like when Allison states, “Understanding your own beliefs, and those of others, comes through focused thought and discussion.” (Allison, 6). I agree with this statement because in order to truly understand your beliefs you have to take time to really think about it. The same goes for understanding others. Along with the use of discussion with another person, you will be able to understand them easier. One part that I partly disagree with is when Allison states “No one has authority over your personal beliefs”. (6). On a basic level, yes no one can have any control over your beliefs. However people can shape your beliefs over time. For example, the belief of a certain religion can be taught and drilled into your head from a young age. In a way that is someone taking authority over your beliefs.
Be Cool to the Pizza Dude:
The whole point of this essay is to be kind and practice patience. Adams explains how she always tries her best to be patient with the pizza delivery guys when she sees them on the road. Whenever they cut her off, she works to be kind and think about what it is like in their shoes. One statement that I agree with is “My measurement as a human being, my worth, is the pride I take in performing my job—any job— and the respect with which I treat others.” (Adams, 9). This statement is very important because I firmly believe in mutual respect. Just because someone has a low scale job doesn’t mean that they deserve less respect. Every job is important no matter how small it may be. One part that I found confusing was “Rather, the dudes sleep the sleep of the just.” (Adams, 8). I just don’t understand what Sarah is trying to say here.
The big idea in Jay Alison’s Introduction is that it is really important to think about what you truly believe in and to share it honestly. The short essays that people wrote can show how differently everyone’s beliefs can shape their lives and connect them with other people. The line that I circled is something that I like because it says that the editors (that are collecting the essays that people are writing) wrote an essay first so that they would know how hard it would be to write one. He talks about how the directors of the original series also wrote essays. They don’t put all the essays on the radio, or out in public which is considerate. Most of the essays will not be read by any one but the writer. They felt that those things should just be written about for the exercise of it. Something that confused me was that he said that pretty much only the writer and the editor would see the essays but then says we almost like more people are actually going to read them or see them than what they let on. He talks vaguely about what some of the essays say.
The main idea in Sarah Adams’ Be Cool to the Pizza Dude is that everyone should be treated kindly, it doesn’t matter what they may do. You should be nice to everyone regardless, and that can make a difference in someone’s life. The line that I circled was the one when she was describing the pizza dude and who they could be. She pretty much said that they could be any one and that is good because it is true. She was basically saying that you should treat everyone the same even if they are gay, straight, married or single, old or young, male or female. Something that confuses me is why she starts every principal with “coolness to the pizza delivery dude”. It gets kind of repetitive and old but I guess I see the point she was trying to make. You have to be kind to the people who deliver food because it depends on them to get to you with your food. But in general to be kind to everyone. I would like to know why she chose a pizza delivery person instead of something else.
Introduction:
The big idea of this piece was to show why the radio show for “This I Believe” was so important for individuals to share. Allison makes clear that this is not about argument or persuasion so much as letting people express what’s most deeply significant to them. There’s an emphasis on the value of reflection, of quiet belief, and on listening rather than competing or debating. One line I really liked in the essay was “It is interested not in what can be learned in a moment but over a lifetime.” You really start to appreciate the people’s life stories and thoughts in these essays. These are beliefs formed over so many life experiences and I found that really interesting to read about. One line I didn’t agree with was “Beliefs are choices. No one has the authority over your personal beliefs. Your beliefs are in jeopardy only when you don’t know what they are.” I don’t really agree with this because there are so many opinions and beliefs in this world that we hear everyday, not just from our families but our close friends. People can shape your beliefs over time, religion is a good example of this. Growing up with one religion being taught as the “right one” can shape who you are as a person big time.
Be cool to the pizza dude:
The big deal in this piece is to show how important it is to practice humility and be understanding as well as practicing basic human empathy. Because we constantly have more going on in our lives than we lead on, and you just never know what others are going through. As someone in the restaurant business this piece really resonated with me because I know what it’s like to be treated less than, like I’m not even human. As someone who goes above and beyond at their job it sucks when someone treats you like you don’t have feelings. Adams says, “Coolness to the pizza delivery dude is a practice in empathy,” and I really resonate with that. In customer service, people often speak without thinking, forgetting that we’re human too. I make it a point to treat every table I serve with the same respect, no matter who they are, and I hope they show me the same courtesy. It’s about recognizing each other’s humanity, no one is above or below anyone else. I didn’t find myself disagreeing with anything Adams wrote, because I’ve experienced a lot of what she talked about, and I try to live by those same principles. Whether it’s the pizza delivery person or a server, I treat them with the same respect I’d want for myself.
In the introduction they mention how hard it is in this day and age for someone to listen to what you have to say on one of the many controversial topics without interrupting or criticizing your option. I find this to be true. They connect this to what was happening in the 1950s and how even then there were also many controversial topics, and I find the similarities between then and now interesting.
The big idea of the introduction seems to be the underlying idea for all the writings in the book. It is found on page 3, and paraphrased talks about how they want to focus on the wisdom over a lifetime, and a bigger picture rather than a singles day of news, or news from the past few hours. The point of the book is to bring together many people’s values, and their stories of them and compile them into one book. They also mention a big idea of listening and how it is important to listen to each other, and yourself to find what you believe in.
“Be Cool to the Pizza Dude” is split into sections where the author describes how the pizza dude philosophy works. The first section shows that the pizza dude actually helps keep her calm and lets her check herself when she gets angry or starts to have road rage. The other principles speak of empathy, honor, and equality, and how people are just people. They all show important lessons on how to lead your life, and I agree with them.
Introduction – Jay Alison
What is it? What’s the big idea in this piece?
The big idea in this piece is to describe what a This I Believe essay is about. It explains the morals of writing one, what the editors were looking for in submissions, and how infectious writing one can be. From reading this passage I got the sense that This I Believe was truly a phenomenon, it spread to many different kinds of people, enlightening and encouraging others to participate. It gave many people a voice that they might not have had before, or given some a chance to speak to their authentic selves, outside of media assumptions. I appreciate how it ranges from common people, the “unknown” they called them, all the way to famous people.
See if you can locate one idea/concept/or line in the essay and circle it. Explain why you like what you circled.
It’s admittedly difficult to choose just one idea that I like, but I will go with the one that I connected with the most. “My own This I Believe essay begins, ‘I believe in listening…’… At the station in my hometown, it’s our motto, and the first word ever spoken on the air when we signed on. Listen.” I, very heavily, agree with this belief. I firmly believe in listening to others. My curiosity plays into that, I’m interested in knowing everything I can, especially about the people around me. But, I also love expanding my knowledge, specifically through other’s experiences and history. I find what others have to say so fascinating, I could spend my entire days listening to why people are the way that they are, what drives them, and what shaped what they believe in. So much so that I sometimes surprise others with my curiosity. I find myself asking questions about others’ behavior and what shaped it (a big part of why I’m studying animal behavior, haha).
See if you can locate one idea that confuses you or you disagree with. Explain as best you can what confuses you or why you disagree with what you circled.
On the first page, Allison writes “… spoke them on the radio to an audience of millions in a media climate that tends toward sound bites, potshots, and spin.” I’m not sure exactly what “potshots” are? I’m assuming, given the context, that they have something to do with the media falsifying/fabricating the truth, but I’ve never heard the term “potshots”.
Be Cool to the Pizza Dude – Sarah Adams
What is it? What’s the big idea in this piece?
This passage was so entertaining, yet much deeper than expected. I like how the author can mix humor into something serious, and how on the surface Be Cool to the Pizza Dude might sound like something basic, like encouragement to leave a tip, but it was so much more than that! You can relate this passage to anyone, and everyone. Everyone deserves respect in the form of humility, empathy, honor, and equality. Without Adams ever having to say it verbatim, the reader can easily ingest that she is encouraging all to treat others with respect, even if they cut you off in traffic or something of the like.
See if you can locate one idea/concept/or line in the essay and circle it. Explain why you like what you circled.
When talking about the “pizza delivery dude”, Adams says, “Let me tell you something about these dudes: They never took over a company and, as CEO, artificially inflated the value of the stock and crashed out their own shares, bringing the company to the brink of bankruptcy, resulting in twenty thousand people losing their jobs while the CEO builds a home the size of a luxury hotel. Rather, the dudes sleep the sleep of the just.” Oh my gosh, do I love this paragraph! I found it so funny, and yet so true. She very accurately describes a phenomenon that isn’t talked about enough, while complimenting the life of the “pizza delivery dude”. I also love the addition of describing how they “sleep the sleep of the just”. I thought that comparing two people in very different socioeconomic classes was a brilliant idea, especially that she favorably compared the one who was in the “lower class”.
See if you can locate one idea that confuses you or you disagree with. Explain as best you can what confuses you or why you disagree with what you circled.
Given how short this piece was, I did not find anything that confused me or that I disagreed with. But, I don’t want to take the easy way out and write only that! I want to also explain how I appreciate the fact that they included the context of Adams’ previous jobs, and what she is doing now. I thought it related well to her writing. I’m curious if they will continue to give similar context to the upcoming authors, or if that was only given in this case. I’m excited to see!
The big idea of this introduction piece is listening to the ideas of others, no matter who they might be. It takes great bravery to state what you believe, it is something that not only shows people who you are, but it exposes you to criticism and judgement. But that’s why it is important to listen. Although you do not necessarily have to agree with a person’s belief, you can still learn from them in a way that would not be possible if no one took the time to listen to what they were saying.
One part I liked in this piece is when the author wrote “This I Believe heads in the other direction. It is interested not in what can be learned in a moment but over a lifetime.” To me, this is a very powerful message. In this world, so often we want knowledge immediately, and often it is just a click away. But in learning that way, we are missing a key aspect. Knowledge, learning, experience; it all takes time. When we try to do these things all at once, we can never grow. Instead of tuning into one moment, it benefits us greatly if we instead listen to a life.
In this piece I didn’t understand how some of the essays could be greatly “edited” for radio “until everyone was content.” I feel like that process would be very long and drawn out and that it would be very difficult for two ends, wanting different ideas, to reach a consensus.
Adams-
This piece was a message on empathy, kindness, and forgiveness. Rather than judging someone for their actions in a moment, consider them completely. Think of the actions that lead up to this, their situation, and what their role is at that moment. It can be easy to lose our temper and become annoyed, but the greatest strength of all is to instead use compassion and grow in patience.
A quote I liked from this is when the author said that she is not an equal in the world because of money or status, but rather she is “the equal to all I meet because of the kindness in my heart.” I like how it puts emphasis on internal value rather than the external. It seems so many people are concerned about what projected on the inside, when really, the true display of wealth is what’s found inside of a person’s heart.
I didn’t really understand when the author said that “the dudes sleep the sleep of the just.” While I get the connection that pizza guys are not corrupt in comparison to some CEOs, I still would’t really say that all are entirely “just” either. But I feel like if I understood her statement more, then maybe I would also begin to appreciate what is being said.
Introduction by Jay Alison:
What is it? What’s the big idea in this piece?
The big idea in Jay Alison’s Introduction is the explanation of why and how people choose to write their This I Believe essays. Alison explains not only how they choose the essays, but why people decide to share their stories with the world.
See if you can locate 1 idea/concept or line in the essay and circle it. Explain why you like what you circled.
“Deep lessons are learned in proximity to illness and death, when the value of life is felt more keenly…”
I circled this quote because I thought the idea of people realizing what they are losing when it comes to illness or death is interesting. It is true that people seem to be more sympathetic or reminiscent when they are experiencing upcoming grief. I have seen this spiral of emotions happen firsthand, and it is always different for everyone. This idea reminds me of this quote I heard a couple of years ago: “People don’t realize what they have until its gone… or is it that people always know what they have they just never thought they would lose it?”
See if you can locate 1 idea that confuses you or you disagree with. Explain as best you can what confuses you or why you disagree with what you circled.
“Beliefs are choices. No one has authority over your personal beliefs. Your beliefs are in jeopardy only when you don’t know what they are.”
This quote confused me at the end of it. When it talks about beliefs being in jeopardy I was confused on what kind of jeopardy Alison is talking about in this scenario and why it is so important.
Be Cool to the Pizza Dude by Sarah Adams:
What is it? What’s the big idea in this piece?
I took the big idea of this piece as always spreading kindness to people that you don’t know. It was clear to me that Sarah Adams believes in some form of karma.
See if you can locate 1 idea/concept or line in the essay and circle it. Explain why you like what you circled.
“…grateful for the paycheck…”
I chose this quote because it is relatable to me and my family. The way my parents were living paycheck to paycheck when raising me and my sister. It is a powerful line that not many will understand to its fullest extent.
See if you can locate 1 idea that confuses you or you disagree with. Explain as best you can what confuses you or why you disagree with what you circled.
“I am equal to all I meet because of the kindness in my heart.”
I don’t necessarily disagree with this statement, although I think it’s an incredibly optimistic standpoint on life. So optimistic that it is denying that in life there is a certain amount of responsibility that you have to leave in other people’s hands.
What is it/ what is the big idea of the piece?- The big idea of this piece is giving more information on “This I Believe” and what goes into making it. It shares the importance of sharing your beliefs and also the bravery it takes to believe in something strongly enough to write it down on paper and submit it to be read by others.
idea/concept/line that I liked and why- “To make such an earnest, exposed statement is itself an act of bravery.” (2) I liked this line because i believe it holds a lot of truth behind it. Like I said previously, believing in something so strongly you have the bravery to write it down on paper and submit it for others to read without fear of criticism really does take a lot of effort. I think people may read this book and take things lightly but I don’t think they all realize the importance behind some of the words. Most of these submissions have been lessons learned over the course of a lifetime not a short period of time and have been submitted for others to read and maybe even take something away from it.
Something that confuses me or that I disagree with- Something that I do believe but I also think tends to be forgotten that was said in this reading was “No one has the authority over your personal belief.” (6) While I do believe no one truly holds authority over our own beliefs, I do think people bend their beliefs at times to try and fit in with society or even just what our parents tell us. I think social media has also worsened this where these younger teenagers are going on social media scrolling away and listening to so many of other peoples beliefs and opinions it’s as though your own can sometimes get tainted. Parents also tend to push beliefs and opinions onto their kids and when the kid grows up and ends up believing in something else it makes it hard to share those beliefs when your parents still believe the other thing so strongly.
Be cool to the pizza dude by Sarah Adams’
What is it/ what is the big idea of the piece?- I think the big idea in this piece is being kind to everyone in any situation and overall showing more empathy in the world. As Adams talks about in the piece, everyone is at such different places in life and she talks about how fickle things can be. Everything in life may be going so well and you can be very successful but in the blink of an eye that can all change and you would probably just hope to be shown empathy in your life and not be judged or mistreated based off of a bad day or where you currently are in your life.
idea/concept/line that I liked and why- “I am the equal of the world not because of the car I drive, the size of the TV I own, the weight I can bench-press, or the calculus equations I can solve. I am the equal to all because I meet because of the kindness in my heart.” (9) I think that this is an important quote to recognize because it goes to show that while sometimes life can be perceived as where you are in your career, or the material things that you own, it is the opposite of that. What is more important than the material things you own is the kindness that you show to others and the way people perceive you not as the successful person that you are, but the kindness and empathy that you show.
Something that confuses me or that I disagree with- I did not feel like I disagreed with anything from this piece. I felt as though it was a short piece that pretty much laid out the purpose clearly and I did not get confused by it nor disagree with it.
The big idea of the reading is that it encourages individuals from all backgrounds and experiences to reflect deeply on their personal values and beliefs and express them in a short essay. The act of writing and sharing beliefs is seen as both brave and meaningful, especially in a world where most public communication is quick, shallow, and often filled with conflict or judgment.
One concept that I found was “Beliefs are choices”. I like this causes its saying you have control over what you believe and your beliefs are not assigned by other people, but they are developed from your own thoughts. One thing I found confusing was “One said it was like packing for a long trip using an overnight bag” I picked it because it kinda emphasizes how difficult it is to express something so big in such small amount of writing.
The idea I got from this was from the author using a simple act of being kind to the pizza delivery person as a symbol of a larger life philosophy. By treating everyone with decency, regardless of their job or status, we practice being better humans. One idea I circles was “in the big pizza wheel of life, sometimes you’re the hot bubbly cheese and sometimes you’re the burnt crust.” To me it’s kinda saying that life has ups and downs, and we all go through moments when we’re doing well and moments when we’re struggling. One thing I found somewhat confusing was how the author was contrasting pizza workers who do honest work with corrupt people ho manipulate things. I was just confused at first on what it meant but thinking deeper it’s saying to recognize the dignity of honest labor, no matter what.
14 thoughts on “JOURNAL # 5”
Journal 5 response to texts
The first text “Introduction” is quite literally a background and sets the tone for the book. I connected this to the other introduction we read the other week. There is a distinct difference about them though. I noticed a tone of welcome in this one and an invitation to open mindedness that the other essay lacked. The essay before this was just about history. This one is an introduction, not a lesson. I highlighted a few things including WoodsHole MA. I live in Mass. It also said that as of the writing they have received 22,000 essays. That was 2007. It has been 18 years. I can only imagine how many more they have now. I also highlighted “It is interested not in what can be learned in a moment, but over a lifetime.” I loved that quote and think that it truly sums up the idea of the book nicely
I really liked “Be Kind to the Pizza Man”. It was a short and sweet way to start off the book. It brings out Sara’s empathy, how she reminds herself to be humble and how others in the world live their lives. She talks about how diverse the world is and each person has their own story. She reflects on her own struggles with low paying jobs and how it puts the world into perspective again.
Journal #5
Madison Robinson
Introduction:
The introduction of This I Believe written by Jay Allison discussed the main ideas of the various essays written, as well as the types of people who participated in the writings. The collection of essays has a wide range of types of people, ranging from construction workers to politicians. When addressing the writers, they told them to “frame their beliefs in positive terms”. They found that even though they gave the writers a vague idea of what they were to write about, there were similar themes throughout each essay, such as searching for meaning or helping others.
One line that stuck out to me was one that reads “refrain from dwelling on what you do not believe” (Allison, 3). This stuck out to me because it made me think about how many people tend to focus on what they hear around them, rather than thinking about what they really believe.
Be cool to the pizza dude:
Be cool to the pizza dude has an overarching theme of treating people with kindness and respect. The author Sarah Adams discusses four principles that guide her philosophy of how being respectful to the pizza delivery guy would be beneficial. The first principle is humility and forgiveness. Adams uses an analogy of road rage to explain this, overall explaining that it is okay to let things go. The next is empathy, stating that you never know what other people are going through, so you should always treat people with respect. The third is honor, expressing the idea that pizza delivery people are mostly innocent in the grand scheme of the world, so there is no reason to disrespect them. The fourth and final principle is equality, showing that the way you treat others determines your level of equality.
The statement that stood out to me the most was “in the big pizza wheel of life, sometimes you’re the hot bubbly cheese and sometimes you’re the burnt crust; it’s good to remember the fickle spinning of that wheel” (Adams, 9). This reminded me that everyone has their good days and bad days, and that you can never know where anyone is on that wheel.
Jay Alison’s section of This I Believe is an introduction to the modern This I Believe project. The big idea in this introduction is that every essay submitted to the program is significant. A large portion of the introduction is spent detailing the trial that is conveying your beliefs into an essay. A concept I liked in this essay is that the essays in this book convey a lifetime of information: “It is interested not in what can be learned in a moment but over a lifetime.” I never thought of how the essayists in this book are writing about the beliefs they formed over the course of their entire lives, and I find that really incredible. A segment I found confusing was when the news was brought up. “More and more, news output is based not so much on the events of the day but those of the moment.” This part just didn’t click for me, I don’t know what they’re trying to say here.
The essay “Be Cool to the Pizza Dude” is an essay about treating others as equals, as far as I can discern. The main idea of this essay is that it’s wrong to judge people based on their intelligence, strength, or the job they have. A section that I really like and I feel encapsulates the message of this essay is where the essayist describes how their respect for others is how they weigh themselves as a human being. “My measurement as a human being, my worth, is the pride I take in performing my job – any job – and the respect with which I treat others.” I also appreciate how the essayist disses CEO’s which I think is very funny. The only thing that confuses me about this essay is the concept of pizza delivery cars having sirens like a police cruiser. I live in a place where there’s no pizza delivery, so the concept of a pizza delivery car having a siren is very absurd to me.
The big idea in this introduction by Jay Allison seems to be to introduce you to the idea of listening. It mentions many times the value of listening, truly listening, to what other people have to say. I think that is a noble idea. This concept of listening and absorbing what you can from other people’s words and ideas and philosophies is something I think I will take to heart.
I liked reading about what spurns a writer to look this deeply inwards and examine who they are at their core. Some reflect on when beliefs were tested or made, others dive deep into the sea of their brain hunting for the perfect shell, and others had to face their own selves after seeing someone else lose theirs. That last part really resonated with me. I had to confront who I was at my core when I was working in a nursing home. The people I was surrounded by once had their own lives, their own beliefs and memories. But those beliefs had been eroded away by time and disease, and they lost bits and pieces of themselves until nothing was left. It made me think about who I was, what I believed, and what experiences have made me who I am today.
I was confused as to why Allison mentioned not judging someone else’s beliefs. I admit, I will always hear a person out, but if at your core, you are not a good person (at least in my eyes), then I will disagree. I understand the paradoxical nature of disagreeing with someone’s core beliefs, and the potential hypocrisy in my statement, but I really do think that personal beliefs can and should be questioned.
Journal #5
Jay Allison’s Introduction:
The big idea of this piece was to describe why the “This I Believe” radio show was so important for people to share with others. How lots of different people were interviewed, people with different jobs and outlooks on life. He explained how the attempt of sharing had value in itself. The idea that the stories would help people was good enough to be shared to many people. He also described where the “This I Believe” concept is now. How there is a website people can go on to read interviews. Jay Allison also explained how the interviews impact people in society today. For example, a “This I Believe” essay has been read at weddings.
A concept that I liked from the Introduction piece would be a quote on page 6. “Beliefs are choices. No one has the authority over your personal beliefs. Your beliefs are in jeopardy only when you don’t know what they are.” I think this is very important for everyone to hear. I agree that your beliefs are yours, and they can’t be taken from you.
I couldn’t find an idea that confused me or that I disagreed with in the reading. I agreed with everything Jay Allison had to say in his Introduction.
Sarah Adam’s Be Cool to the Pizza Dude.
The big idea of this piece of writing was to explain the philosophy of life. The rules that people should live their lives by. Those rules would be humility and forgiveness, empathy, honest work, and equality. These ideas can make you think and act in a way that is good to yourself and to others.
A concept that I liked from this piece would be a quote on page 9 from the book. This quote states “I am equal to all I meet because of the kindness in my heart”. I really like this quote because it shows how you should think about others. Being kind to others is free, and doesn’t take that much time out of your day. I think this is a quote society should live by more, and more positive things would be happening in this world.
In this piece of writing I couldn’t find an idea that I disagreed with or confused me. I think it was interesting that she used a pizza driver as an analogy to get her point across in the reading.
Introduction:
The main idea of the introduction is to show how many people were inspired by This I Believe. Allison explains how the initial radio show allowed millions of people to really think about their core beliefs and write them down in the essays that now make up the book. Everyone sat down and dug deep into their minds to find their inner most beliefs and then wrote them down for the world to see. This takes tremendous courage. I really like when Allison states, “Understanding your own beliefs, and those of others, comes through focused thought and discussion.” (Allison, 6). I agree with this statement because in order to truly understand your beliefs you have to take time to really think about it. The same goes for understanding others. Along with the use of discussion with another person, you will be able to understand them easier. One part that I partly disagree with is when Allison states “No one has authority over your personal beliefs”. (6). On a basic level, yes no one can have any control over your beliefs. However people can shape your beliefs over time. For example, the belief of a certain religion can be taught and drilled into your head from a young age. In a way that is someone taking authority over your beliefs.
Be Cool to the Pizza Dude:
The whole point of this essay is to be kind and practice patience. Adams explains how she always tries her best to be patient with the pizza delivery guys when she sees them on the road. Whenever they cut her off, she works to be kind and think about what it is like in their shoes. One statement that I agree with is “My measurement as a human being, my worth, is the pride I take in performing my job—any job— and the respect with which I treat others.” (Adams, 9). This statement is very important because I firmly believe in mutual respect. Just because someone has a low scale job doesn’t mean that they deserve less respect. Every job is important no matter how small it may be. One part that I found confusing was “Rather, the dudes sleep the sleep of the just.” (Adams, 8). I just don’t understand what Sarah is trying to say here.
The big idea in Jay Alison’s Introduction is that it is really important to think about what you truly believe in and to share it honestly. The short essays that people wrote can show how differently everyone’s beliefs can shape their lives and connect them with other people. The line that I circled is something that I like because it says that the editors (that are collecting the essays that people are writing) wrote an essay first so that they would know how hard it would be to write one. He talks about how the directors of the original series also wrote essays. They don’t put all the essays on the radio, or out in public which is considerate. Most of the essays will not be read by any one but the writer. They felt that those things should just be written about for the exercise of it. Something that confused me was that he said that pretty much only the writer and the editor would see the essays but then says we almost like more people are actually going to read them or see them than what they let on. He talks vaguely about what some of the essays say.
The main idea in Sarah Adams’ Be Cool to the Pizza Dude is that everyone should be treated kindly, it doesn’t matter what they may do. You should be nice to everyone regardless, and that can make a difference in someone’s life. The line that I circled was the one when she was describing the pizza dude and who they could be. She pretty much said that they could be any one and that is good because it is true. She was basically saying that you should treat everyone the same even if they are gay, straight, married or single, old or young, male or female. Something that confuses me is why she starts every principal with “coolness to the pizza delivery dude”. It gets kind of repetitive and old but I guess I see the point she was trying to make. You have to be kind to the people who deliver food because it depends on them to get to you with your food. But in general to be kind to everyone. I would like to know why she chose a pizza delivery person instead of something else.
Introduction:
The big idea of this piece was to show why the radio show for “This I Believe” was so important for individuals to share. Allison makes clear that this is not about argument or persuasion so much as letting people express what’s most deeply significant to them. There’s an emphasis on the value of reflection, of quiet belief, and on listening rather than competing or debating. One line I really liked in the essay was “It is interested not in what can be learned in a moment but over a lifetime.” You really start to appreciate the people’s life stories and thoughts in these essays. These are beliefs formed over so many life experiences and I found that really interesting to read about. One line I didn’t agree with was “Beliefs are choices. No one has the authority over your personal beliefs. Your beliefs are in jeopardy only when you don’t know what they are.” I don’t really agree with this because there are so many opinions and beliefs in this world that we hear everyday, not just from our families but our close friends. People can shape your beliefs over time, religion is a good example of this. Growing up with one religion being taught as the “right one” can shape who you are as a person big time.
Be cool to the pizza dude:
The big deal in this piece is to show how important it is to practice humility and be understanding as well as practicing basic human empathy. Because we constantly have more going on in our lives than we lead on, and you just never know what others are going through. As someone in the restaurant business this piece really resonated with me because I know what it’s like to be treated less than, like I’m not even human. As someone who goes above and beyond at their job it sucks when someone treats you like you don’t have feelings. Adams says, “Coolness to the pizza delivery dude is a practice in empathy,” and I really resonate with that. In customer service, people often speak without thinking, forgetting that we’re human too. I make it a point to treat every table I serve with the same respect, no matter who they are, and I hope they show me the same courtesy. It’s about recognizing each other’s humanity, no one is above or below anyone else. I didn’t find myself disagreeing with anything Adams wrote, because I’ve experienced a lot of what she talked about, and I try to live by those same principles. Whether it’s the pizza delivery person or a server, I treat them with the same respect I’d want for myself.
In the introduction they mention how hard it is in this day and age for someone to listen to what you have to say on one of the many controversial topics without interrupting or criticizing your option. I find this to be true. They connect this to what was happening in the 1950s and how even then there were also many controversial topics, and I find the similarities between then and now interesting.
The big idea of the introduction seems to be the underlying idea for all the writings in the book. It is found on page 3, and paraphrased talks about how they want to focus on the wisdom over a lifetime, and a bigger picture rather than a singles day of news, or news from the past few hours. The point of the book is to bring together many people’s values, and their stories of them and compile them into one book. They also mention a big idea of listening and how it is important to listen to each other, and yourself to find what you believe in.
“Be Cool to the Pizza Dude” is split into sections where the author describes how the pizza dude philosophy works. The first section shows that the pizza dude actually helps keep her calm and lets her check herself when she gets angry or starts to have road rage. The other principles speak of empathy, honor, and equality, and how people are just people. They all show important lessons on how to lead your life, and I agree with them.
Introduction – Jay Alison
What is it? What’s the big idea in this piece?
The big idea in this piece is to describe what a This I Believe essay is about. It explains the morals of writing one, what the editors were looking for in submissions, and how infectious writing one can be. From reading this passage I got the sense that This I Believe was truly a phenomenon, it spread to many different kinds of people, enlightening and encouraging others to participate. It gave many people a voice that they might not have had before, or given some a chance to speak to their authentic selves, outside of media assumptions. I appreciate how it ranges from common people, the “unknown” they called them, all the way to famous people.
See if you can locate one idea/concept/or line in the essay and circle it. Explain why you like what you circled.
It’s admittedly difficult to choose just one idea that I like, but I will go with the one that I connected with the most. “My own This I Believe essay begins, ‘I believe in listening…’… At the station in my hometown, it’s our motto, and the first word ever spoken on the air when we signed on. Listen.” I, very heavily, agree with this belief. I firmly believe in listening to others. My curiosity plays into that, I’m interested in knowing everything I can, especially about the people around me. But, I also love expanding my knowledge, specifically through other’s experiences and history. I find what others have to say so fascinating, I could spend my entire days listening to why people are the way that they are, what drives them, and what shaped what they believe in. So much so that I sometimes surprise others with my curiosity. I find myself asking questions about others’ behavior and what shaped it (a big part of why I’m studying animal behavior, haha).
See if you can locate one idea that confuses you or you disagree with. Explain as best you can what confuses you or why you disagree with what you circled.
On the first page, Allison writes “… spoke them on the radio to an audience of millions in a media climate that tends toward sound bites, potshots, and spin.” I’m not sure exactly what “potshots” are? I’m assuming, given the context, that they have something to do with the media falsifying/fabricating the truth, but I’ve never heard the term “potshots”.
Be Cool to the Pizza Dude – Sarah Adams
What is it? What’s the big idea in this piece?
This passage was so entertaining, yet much deeper than expected. I like how the author can mix humor into something serious, and how on the surface Be Cool to the Pizza Dude might sound like something basic, like encouragement to leave a tip, but it was so much more than that! You can relate this passage to anyone, and everyone. Everyone deserves respect in the form of humility, empathy, honor, and equality. Without Adams ever having to say it verbatim, the reader can easily ingest that she is encouraging all to treat others with respect, even if they cut you off in traffic or something of the like.
See if you can locate one idea/concept/or line in the essay and circle it. Explain why you like what you circled.
When talking about the “pizza delivery dude”, Adams says, “Let me tell you something about these dudes: They never took over a company and, as CEO, artificially inflated the value of the stock and crashed out their own shares, bringing the company to the brink of bankruptcy, resulting in twenty thousand people losing their jobs while the CEO builds a home the size of a luxury hotel. Rather, the dudes sleep the sleep of the just.” Oh my gosh, do I love this paragraph! I found it so funny, and yet so true. She very accurately describes a phenomenon that isn’t talked about enough, while complimenting the life of the “pizza delivery dude”. I also love the addition of describing how they “sleep the sleep of the just”. I thought that comparing two people in very different socioeconomic classes was a brilliant idea, especially that she favorably compared the one who was in the “lower class”.
See if you can locate one idea that confuses you or you disagree with. Explain as best you can what confuses you or why you disagree with what you circled.
Given how short this piece was, I did not find anything that confused me or that I disagreed with. But, I don’t want to take the easy way out and write only that! I want to also explain how I appreciate the fact that they included the context of Adams’ previous jobs, and what she is doing now. I thought it related well to her writing. I’m curious if they will continue to give similar context to the upcoming authors, or if that was only given in this case. I’m excited to see!
Alison-
The big idea of this introduction piece is listening to the ideas of others, no matter who they might be. It takes great bravery to state what you believe, it is something that not only shows people who you are, but it exposes you to criticism and judgement. But that’s why it is important to listen. Although you do not necessarily have to agree with a person’s belief, you can still learn from them in a way that would not be possible if no one took the time to listen to what they were saying.
One part I liked in this piece is when the author wrote “This I Believe heads in the other direction. It is interested not in what can be learned in a moment but over a lifetime.” To me, this is a very powerful message. In this world, so often we want knowledge immediately, and often it is just a click away. But in learning that way, we are missing a key aspect. Knowledge, learning, experience; it all takes time. When we try to do these things all at once, we can never grow. Instead of tuning into one moment, it benefits us greatly if we instead listen to a life.
In this piece I didn’t understand how some of the essays could be greatly “edited” for radio “until everyone was content.” I feel like that process would be very long and drawn out and that it would be very difficult for two ends, wanting different ideas, to reach a consensus.
Adams-
This piece was a message on empathy, kindness, and forgiveness. Rather than judging someone for their actions in a moment, consider them completely. Think of the actions that lead up to this, their situation, and what their role is at that moment. It can be easy to lose our temper and become annoyed, but the greatest strength of all is to instead use compassion and grow in patience.
A quote I liked from this is when the author said that she is not an equal in the world because of money or status, but rather she is “the equal to all I meet because of the kindness in my heart.” I like how it puts emphasis on internal value rather than the external. It seems so many people are concerned about what projected on the inside, when really, the true display of wealth is what’s found inside of a person’s heart.
I didn’t really understand when the author said that “the dudes sleep the sleep of the just.” While I get the connection that pizza guys are not corrupt in comparison to some CEOs, I still would’t really say that all are entirely “just” either. But I feel like if I understood her statement more, then maybe I would also begin to appreciate what is being said.
Introduction by Jay Alison:
What is it? What’s the big idea in this piece?
The big idea in Jay Alison’s Introduction is the explanation of why and how people choose to write their This I Believe essays. Alison explains not only how they choose the essays, but why people decide to share their stories with the world.
See if you can locate 1 idea/concept or line in the essay and circle it. Explain why you like what you circled.
“Deep lessons are learned in proximity to illness and death, when the value of life is felt more keenly…”
I circled this quote because I thought the idea of people realizing what they are losing when it comes to illness or death is interesting. It is true that people seem to be more sympathetic or reminiscent when they are experiencing upcoming grief. I have seen this spiral of emotions happen firsthand, and it is always different for everyone. This idea reminds me of this quote I heard a couple of years ago: “People don’t realize what they have until its gone… or is it that people always know what they have they just never thought they would lose it?”
See if you can locate 1 idea that confuses you or you disagree with. Explain as best you can what confuses you or why you disagree with what you circled.
“Beliefs are choices. No one has authority over your personal beliefs. Your beliefs are in jeopardy only when you don’t know what they are.”
This quote confused me at the end of it. When it talks about beliefs being in jeopardy I was confused on what kind of jeopardy Alison is talking about in this scenario and why it is so important.
Be Cool to the Pizza Dude by Sarah Adams:
What is it? What’s the big idea in this piece?
I took the big idea of this piece as always spreading kindness to people that you don’t know. It was clear to me that Sarah Adams believes in some form of karma.
See if you can locate 1 idea/concept or line in the essay and circle it. Explain why you like what you circled.
“…grateful for the paycheck…”
I chose this quote because it is relatable to me and my family. The way my parents were living paycheck to paycheck when raising me and my sister. It is a powerful line that not many will understand to its fullest extent.
See if you can locate 1 idea that confuses you or you disagree with. Explain as best you can what confuses you or why you disagree with what you circled.
“I am equal to all I meet because of the kindness in my heart.”
I don’t necessarily disagree with this statement, although I think it’s an incredibly optimistic standpoint on life. So optimistic that it is denying that in life there is a certain amount of responsibility that you have to leave in other people’s hands.
Introduction by Jay Alison
What is it/ what is the big idea of the piece?- The big idea of this piece is giving more information on “This I Believe” and what goes into making it. It shares the importance of sharing your beliefs and also the bravery it takes to believe in something strongly enough to write it down on paper and submit it to be read by others.
idea/concept/line that I liked and why- “To make such an earnest, exposed statement is itself an act of bravery.” (2) I liked this line because i believe it holds a lot of truth behind it. Like I said previously, believing in something so strongly you have the bravery to write it down on paper and submit it for others to read without fear of criticism really does take a lot of effort. I think people may read this book and take things lightly but I don’t think they all realize the importance behind some of the words. Most of these submissions have been lessons learned over the course of a lifetime not a short period of time and have been submitted for others to read and maybe even take something away from it.
Something that confuses me or that I disagree with- Something that I do believe but I also think tends to be forgotten that was said in this reading was “No one has the authority over your personal belief.” (6) While I do believe no one truly holds authority over our own beliefs, I do think people bend their beliefs at times to try and fit in with society or even just what our parents tell us. I think social media has also worsened this where these younger teenagers are going on social media scrolling away and listening to so many of other peoples beliefs and opinions it’s as though your own can sometimes get tainted. Parents also tend to push beliefs and opinions onto their kids and when the kid grows up and ends up believing in something else it makes it hard to share those beliefs when your parents still believe the other thing so strongly.
Be cool to the pizza dude by Sarah Adams’
What is it/ what is the big idea of the piece?- I think the big idea in this piece is being kind to everyone in any situation and overall showing more empathy in the world. As Adams talks about in the piece, everyone is at such different places in life and she talks about how fickle things can be. Everything in life may be going so well and you can be very successful but in the blink of an eye that can all change and you would probably just hope to be shown empathy in your life and not be judged or mistreated based off of a bad day or where you currently are in your life.
idea/concept/line that I liked and why- “I am the equal of the world not because of the car I drive, the size of the TV I own, the weight I can bench-press, or the calculus equations I can solve. I am the equal to all because I meet because of the kindness in my heart.” (9) I think that this is an important quote to recognize because it goes to show that while sometimes life can be perceived as where you are in your career, or the material things that you own, it is the opposite of that. What is more important than the material things you own is the kindness that you show to others and the way people perceive you not as the successful person that you are, but the kindness and empathy that you show.
Something that confuses me or that I disagree with- I did not feel like I disagreed with anything from this piece. I felt as though it was a short piece that pretty much laid out the purpose clearly and I did not get confused by it nor disagree with it.
The big idea of the reading is that it encourages individuals from all backgrounds and experiences to reflect deeply on their personal values and beliefs and express them in a short essay. The act of writing and sharing beliefs is seen as both brave and meaningful, especially in a world where most public communication is quick, shallow, and often filled with conflict or judgment.
One concept that I found was “Beliefs are choices”. I like this causes its saying you have control over what you believe and your beliefs are not assigned by other people, but they are developed from your own thoughts. One thing I found confusing was “One said it was like packing for a long trip using an overnight bag” I picked it because it kinda emphasizes how difficult it is to express something so big in such small amount of writing.
The idea I got from this was from the author using a simple act of being kind to the pizza delivery person as a symbol of a larger life philosophy. By treating everyone with decency, regardless of their job or status, we practice being better humans. One idea I circles was “in the big pizza wheel of life, sometimes you’re the hot bubbly cheese and sometimes you’re the burnt crust.” To me it’s kinda saying that life has ups and downs, and we all go through moments when we’re doing well and moments when we’re struggling. One thing I found somewhat confusing was how the author was contrasting pizza workers who do honest work with corrupt people ho manipulate things. I was just confused at first on what it meant but thinking deeper it’s saying to recognize the dignity of honest labor, no matter what.