The reading of The Mountain Disappears was an interesting piece of text. To me the big idea of this piece of writing was the belief in the good of people. The belief that humans can act right, and do things for the good of many people. Also the belief that humans can do things that are correct and true, that won’t cause harm to others. An idea that I liked in the text was “If we believe that man can never achieve a society without wars, then we are condemned to wars forever.” I thought this sentence was very interesting, and I agree with it. Wars happen a lot in society, and sometimes people believe that have to happen in order to take place. I totally understand that, but wars are something that need to be thought about more in society. Speaking from a literal standpoint, the people that decide if war takes place, are not going to be in that war. They are going to send others to do that job, because they probably don’t want to be there. This sentence shows that something that is considered normal, or necessary will keep happening, even if it harms others. A piece in the text that I didn’t like would be “Human nature is only animal nature if it is obligated to remain static”. This sentence was confusing to me. I don’t really understand what the author was trying to explain here. That is the only thing that I found confusing in this piece of writing.
The main point of Bernstein’s The Mountain Disappears is to show his belief in people. Throughout the entire essay, he is emphasizing his belief that people can be good. He has so much respect for others and he truly believes that people are capable of change. One message that I really like is “If we believe that man can never achieve a society without wars, then we are condemned to wars forever.” (Bernstein, 20). This statement really shows how if people refuse to change then change will never happen. People will constantly fight because they believe that there is no society without fighting. People believe that wars are a necessary evil which doesn’t always have to be the case. One thing I disagree with is the statement, “We must believe, without fear, in people.” (Bernstein, 21). I personally don’t have much faith in humanity as a whole. I believe that people can change but I do not place all of my hope in people. I also can place hope in those I know and love, however, I do not trust people in general. People can be very unpredictable and I cannot believe in people without fear ever.
The main idea of this piece, The Mountain Disappears, is that all people have the potential for change. The author states that if we want to see real change, then we cannot simply choose the path that is easy. He states that we must labor in love and believe that all have the capacity to grow. In addition to this, he says that in America, we must encourage free thoughts of creativity and rely on inspiration rather than strict rules imposed by society.
In this writing, a quote that I really enjoyed and stood out to me was when the author stated, “I believe man’s greatest endowment is his capacity to change.” I liked that this quote highlights that all people have potential, and that our greatest ability as human beings is centered around how open we are to change. Because without change, there can never be growth within people, and also within a society.
In this piece, I didn’t really understand when the author said “by the difficult, slow method in which the dignity of A is acknowledged by B, without impairing the dignity of C.” While I think that I get the basic idea of recognizing people individually in terms of dignity, I also think that the author made this more complicated than it should have been. I also believe that I would appreciate this sentence more if I could fully understand it.
Madison Robinson
Journal #12
Leonard Bernstein’s The Mountain Disappears
“The Mountain Disappears” by Leonard Bernstein has various underlying themes, including seeing the good in people and the importance of growth. Each person has their own side that no one else can see, especially when they are going through a challenging moment, also referred to as a ‘mountain’ in this piece. He also makes sure to express the importance of growth, and that everyone changes throughout their lives. One piece of this essay that I enjoyed was “Man cannot have dignity without loving the dignity of his fellow” (Bernstein 20). I enjoyed reading this part of the essay because it shows that people are only as good as the way that they treat others. Being disrespectful to others does not make you a better person. I think this quote also shows that it is important to value the opinions that come from the people around you, and that you can learn a lot from them. One part that I struggled to agree with is “America is at the beginning of her greatest period in history” (Bernstein 21). I know that this was written a long time ago, so I see the vision and hope for what America would turn out to be, but it’s interesting reading that line now while the country is in a period of political struggle and violence. Overall, this piece has important value and quotes in it that made me think about how the way humans interact with one another.
The Mountain Disappears by Leonard Bernstein
What is it? What’s the big idea in this piece?
Bernstein conveys the idea of one individual being able to change society through courage, compassion, and truth. He talks about the power an individual holds and his belief in human dignity. He expresses deep faith in people and their ability to adapt and grow.
See if you can locate 1 idea/concept or line in the essay and circle it. Explain why you like what you circled.
“If we believe that man can never achieve society without wars, then we are condemned to wars forever” (Bernstein 20).
I liked this quote because, to me, it explains the importance of having a growth mindset. This quote is saying that whatever we believe also shapes what we allow to happen. So, if we believe that peace is impossible we, as a society, will never strive for it. I think this idea is interesting because it shows the reader that your beliefs don’t only affect you, they affect everyone around you as well.
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.
“We must rely more on the unconscious, inspirational side of man” (Bernstein 21).
This quote can be seen as challenging because it could lead readers to believe that Bernstein thinks that trusting feelings, instincts, or deep intuition is more important than reason/logical answers. I was confused by this quote originally because it seems to downplay the importance of evidence and advocate for pure “gut feeling.”
The big idea in this piece is the power of man. Leonard Bernstein talks about how he believes the greatest power on earth is a man, or in more modern terms, a person. He says that men can change his entire viewpoint on something just by being there, and that people are his focal point. He also discusses mankind’s capacity for change, and how we change. Democracy is brought up as an example of this, with democracy constantly changing and growing as we learn more and more.
I like when he talked about how even one person fighting against injustice is enough to make him reevaluate an entire system. I believe in this philosophy too, where if even one person argues against something because they have experienced the injustice of it firsthand, it is enough to make me question the systems by which the injustice happened.
I did not like his philosophy of placing humankind above all else. I feel this can be fatal hubris for people, assuming that we are the most important thing and not the planet we live on. I would argue directly against this, that humans are not some all important species of animal, but that we are a species of animal living on this planet and should act accordingly.
In “The Mountain Disappears,” Leonard Bernstein expresses his belief in the enduring power of love and human potential to overcome even the darkest challenges. He uses the metaphor of a mountain disappearing to symbolize how even unsolvable problems can be resolved through courage, compassion, and deep faith in people to grow.
One concept/line I really liked was “For me, all art is a combination of these powers; for if love is the way we have of communicating personally in the deepest way, then what art can do is to extend this communication, magnify it, and carry it to vastly greater numbers of people. Therefore art is valid for the warmth and love it carries within it, even if it be the lightest entertainment, or the bitterest satire, or the most shattering tragedy.” I highlighted this because art can be such a powerful way of sharing love and deep human connection. I believe that art extends and amplifies our ability to communicate emotions, reaching many people on a meaningful level. Whether it’s joyful, humorous, or tragic, all art is valuable because it carries warmth and emotional truth.
One line I didn’t fully agree with was, “We must not enslave ourselves to dogma.” Bernstein is saying that we shouldn’t blindly follow rigid beliefs or ideologies without questioning them. I do agree with the importance of open-mindedness, critical thinking, and allowing ourselves the freedom to grow and change. However, as someone with strong faith, I see this differently when it comes to religion. I’ve always been taught to have blind faith in the Lord, to me, faith isn’t about being closed-minded, it’s about trust, and believing in something greater than ourselves, even when we don’t fully understand it. While Bernstein sees dogma as something that limits human potential, I see faith as something that can elevate it. It gives people strength, purpose, and hope, especially in times when logic or reasoning fall short. So while I respect his point, I believe that certain kinds of “unquestioned” belief, especially in a spiritual sense, can be not only valid but deeply transforming.
The big idea in Bernstein’s piece, The Mountain Disappears, is the belief in people and trying to see good and potential in them along with our abilities to change and develop for the better. The author never says change is an easy path, but is a difficult one, but over time he does believe we can change for good and thinks that it is also important we don’t give up on others and keep searching for the good in people.
A part of this piece I liked is the line “I believe in the potential of people” (20). I like this because if you look at people and if they are in a bad place or something along those lines, you can look at them and see their potential for change in their lives and how they can change and improve for the better. I think it also means just being around people and noticing the potential for people to do good in their lives. I also think it is important to note that while you can see potential in people, that does not necessarily mean you need to expect that of people, sometimes you need to be able to meet them where they are for a bit.
Something I disagree with to a point is when he says “I believe that my country is the place where all these things I have been speaking of are happening in the most manifest way” (21). I think that everywhere and everyone has potential for change and amazing things, not necessarily just one specific place. I get what he was trying to say and I don’t necessarily fully disagree. I just think it is important to note that everyone can experience this anywhere.
This chapter is about believing in people—on an individual level and on a broad, country-level scale. The author demonstrates trust in people, no matter who, and hope in our country and humanity. Bernstein believes in both people’s rights and wrongs, and in their subconscious and conscious minds. He proves himself to be a very open-minded person, showing impartial acceptance for all throughout the text.
I really like how the author argues for peace and acceptance over war and hate. I appreciate how open-minded he is, and how he is very candid, even frank, about what he believes in. A specific line I like is, “We must believe in the attainability of good.” This line speaks to me on many levels. The author shows how he has a positive mindset, which I greatly respect. More so now than ever, we are faced with so much negativity and cynicism. So many young people have lost hope for humanity and the lookout of the planet. It’s very important in this time to stay strong in our belief in the attainability of good.
Throughout the chapter, Bernstein refers to humanity as male. He uses male specific pronouns, and rather than call us humanity, he calls us man. I understand that this was written a long time ago, but it’s still disappointing to see this very limiting language being used. But, it doesn’t stop there. The author also refers to our country as a woman. Comparing women to a place. This, again, is disappointing.
The big idea of this piece is that people matter most, and that humans can change, grow, and work toward a fair and democratic society.
One line I like is: “I believe in man’s right to be wrong. Out of this right he has built, laboriously and lovingly, something we reverently call democracy.” I like this because it shows that making mistakes is normal and even necessary. It reminds me that errors can help us learn and improve, both as individuals and as a society.
One line I find confusing is: “If we believe that man can never achieve a society without wars, then we are condemned to wars forever.” This feels too hopeful to me, because wars have always happened throughout history. I understand the author’s wish for peace, but I’m not sure it’s possible to imagine a world without any war.
I adored this reading. The way that Lenard has an undying belief that humans are good is truly inspiring. The quote “I believe that a man’s novelist endowment is his capacity to change” from page 19 stuck with me. I believe that all people can change if they really try their absolute hardest. This means that no matter how terrible you were, you can change for the better. No matter if society still views you as terrible, if you stick with it for the rest of your life they might change their mind. (well maybe not everyone I could never see the world forgiving hitler). I also loved how Lenard talked about the importance of art in expression. It shows the world another perspective of you and even of themselves. He also talks about how you can never have dignity without respecting the dignity of others. I think this is his way of saying equal rights. I love this worlding of it as it does not project onto one specific community or issue, but humanity itself respecting each other without question. I am writing this while listening to Bob Marley and I think that it is worth mentioning as it fits the text very well. The bit about America being a haven for technology and respect to grow was bittersweet to me as he talked about the growth of a healthy democracy and freedom of speech. This made me reflect on our current dissent into tyranny and loss of free speech. It is soul crushing how we have fallen so far in the span of 2 years. I am obsessed with the last paragraph. Lenard talks about respecting all humans and embracing each other and the creativity we come with. Overall this piece really spoke to me and I loved it.
This is a writing about the power of a human being. I say this because there are examples of one person standing up for what they think is right, such as a person who is hurt by oppression or discrimination standing up and challenging the system of laws and the way the government works. The author expresses this theme multiple times throughout the writing. I circled the line about when people think the only way to peaceful and successful civilization is war, then there will be war. If people don’t want war, then there will not be war. Part of the reason why I like this is because it can be about huge scale, like intercontinental war, or it can be about finishing the last hundred feet of a run. This writing was strait forward for the most part, and nothing jumped out at me as confusing.
The big idea in the mountain disappears is the power of perseverance and how important it is to focus on the small manageable things to achieve the seemingly impossible goals. It shows that consistent effort and determination can lead to overcoming significant challenges. It really highlights how scary tasks can feel overwhelming, but by making them smaller tasks they can be easier to manage and make progress. A line that I really liked or agreed with was “ I believe in man’s right to be wrong (bernstiens)” I really liked this line because he is basically saying that he doesn’t mind people being wrong or when someone admits it. A line that I didn’t agree with or like was “ we must learn to know ourselves better through art.(bernstien)” I feel like you don’t have to learn about yourself just through art, it could be sports or reading. There are so many ways that you can learn about yourself.
13 thoughts on “JOURNAL #12”
Journal #12:
The reading of The Mountain Disappears was an interesting piece of text. To me the big idea of this piece of writing was the belief in the good of people. The belief that humans can act right, and do things for the good of many people. Also the belief that humans can do things that are correct and true, that won’t cause harm to others. An idea that I liked in the text was “If we believe that man can never achieve a society without wars, then we are condemned to wars forever.” I thought this sentence was very interesting, and I agree with it. Wars happen a lot in society, and sometimes people believe that have to happen in order to take place. I totally understand that, but wars are something that need to be thought about more in society. Speaking from a literal standpoint, the people that decide if war takes place, are not going to be in that war. They are going to send others to do that job, because they probably don’t want to be there. This sentence shows that something that is considered normal, or necessary will keep happening, even if it harms others. A piece in the text that I didn’t like would be “Human nature is only animal nature if it is obligated to remain static”. This sentence was confusing to me. I don’t really understand what the author was trying to explain here. That is the only thing that I found confusing in this piece of writing.
The main point of Bernstein’s The Mountain Disappears is to show his belief in people. Throughout the entire essay, he is emphasizing his belief that people can be good. He has so much respect for others and he truly believes that people are capable of change. One message that I really like is “If we believe that man can never achieve a society without wars, then we are condemned to wars forever.” (Bernstein, 20). This statement really shows how if people refuse to change then change will never happen. People will constantly fight because they believe that there is no society without fighting. People believe that wars are a necessary evil which doesn’t always have to be the case. One thing I disagree with is the statement, “We must believe, without fear, in people.” (Bernstein, 21). I personally don’t have much faith in humanity as a whole. I believe that people can change but I do not place all of my hope in people. I also can place hope in those I know and love, however, I do not trust people in general. People can be very unpredictable and I cannot believe in people without fear ever.
The main idea of this piece, The Mountain Disappears, is that all people have the potential for change. The author states that if we want to see real change, then we cannot simply choose the path that is easy. He states that we must labor in love and believe that all have the capacity to grow. In addition to this, he says that in America, we must encourage free thoughts of creativity and rely on inspiration rather than strict rules imposed by society.
In this writing, a quote that I really enjoyed and stood out to me was when the author stated, “I believe man’s greatest endowment is his capacity to change.” I liked that this quote highlights that all people have potential, and that our greatest ability as human beings is centered around how open we are to change. Because without change, there can never be growth within people, and also within a society.
In this piece, I didn’t really understand when the author said “by the difficult, slow method in which the dignity of A is acknowledged by B, without impairing the dignity of C.” While I think that I get the basic idea of recognizing people individually in terms of dignity, I also think that the author made this more complicated than it should have been. I also believe that I would appreciate this sentence more if I could fully understand it.
Madison Robinson
Journal #12
Leonard Bernstein’s The Mountain Disappears
“The Mountain Disappears” by Leonard Bernstein has various underlying themes, including seeing the good in people and the importance of growth. Each person has their own side that no one else can see, especially when they are going through a challenging moment, also referred to as a ‘mountain’ in this piece. He also makes sure to express the importance of growth, and that everyone changes throughout their lives. One piece of this essay that I enjoyed was “Man cannot have dignity without loving the dignity of his fellow” (Bernstein 20). I enjoyed reading this part of the essay because it shows that people are only as good as the way that they treat others. Being disrespectful to others does not make you a better person. I think this quote also shows that it is important to value the opinions that come from the people around you, and that you can learn a lot from them. One part that I struggled to agree with is “America is at the beginning of her greatest period in history” (Bernstein 21). I know that this was written a long time ago, so I see the vision and hope for what America would turn out to be, but it’s interesting reading that line now while the country is in a period of political struggle and violence. Overall, this piece has important value and quotes in it that made me think about how the way humans interact with one another.
The Mountain Disappears by Leonard Bernstein
What is it? What’s the big idea in this piece?
Bernstein conveys the idea of one individual being able to change society through courage, compassion, and truth. He talks about the power an individual holds and his belief in human dignity. He expresses deep faith in people and their ability to adapt and grow.
See if you can locate 1 idea/concept or line in the essay and circle it. Explain why you like what you circled.
“If we believe that man can never achieve society without wars, then we are condemned to wars forever” (Bernstein 20).
I liked this quote because, to me, it explains the importance of having a growth mindset. This quote is saying that whatever we believe also shapes what we allow to happen. So, if we believe that peace is impossible we, as a society, will never strive for it. I think this idea is interesting because it shows the reader that your beliefs don’t only affect you, they affect everyone around you as well.
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.
“We must rely more on the unconscious, inspirational side of man” (Bernstein 21).
This quote can be seen as challenging because it could lead readers to believe that Bernstein thinks that trusting feelings, instincts, or deep intuition is more important than reason/logical answers. I was confused by this quote originally because it seems to downplay the importance of evidence and advocate for pure “gut feeling.”
The big idea in this piece is the power of man. Leonard Bernstein talks about how he believes the greatest power on earth is a man, or in more modern terms, a person. He says that men can change his entire viewpoint on something just by being there, and that people are his focal point. He also discusses mankind’s capacity for change, and how we change. Democracy is brought up as an example of this, with democracy constantly changing and growing as we learn more and more.
I like when he talked about how even one person fighting against injustice is enough to make him reevaluate an entire system. I believe in this philosophy too, where if even one person argues against something because they have experienced the injustice of it firsthand, it is enough to make me question the systems by which the injustice happened.
I did not like his philosophy of placing humankind above all else. I feel this can be fatal hubris for people, assuming that we are the most important thing and not the planet we live on. I would argue directly against this, that humans are not some all important species of animal, but that we are a species of animal living on this planet and should act accordingly.
In “The Mountain Disappears,” Leonard Bernstein expresses his belief in the enduring power of love and human potential to overcome even the darkest challenges. He uses the metaphor of a mountain disappearing to symbolize how even unsolvable problems can be resolved through courage, compassion, and deep faith in people to grow.
One concept/line I really liked was “For me, all art is a combination of these powers; for if love is the way we have of communicating personally in the deepest way, then what art can do is to extend this communication, magnify it, and carry it to vastly greater numbers of people. Therefore art is valid for the warmth and love it carries within it, even if it be the lightest entertainment, or the bitterest satire, or the most shattering tragedy.” I highlighted this because art can be such a powerful way of sharing love and deep human connection. I believe that art extends and amplifies our ability to communicate emotions, reaching many people on a meaningful level. Whether it’s joyful, humorous, or tragic, all art is valuable because it carries warmth and emotional truth.
One line I didn’t fully agree with was, “We must not enslave ourselves to dogma.” Bernstein is saying that we shouldn’t blindly follow rigid beliefs or ideologies without questioning them. I do agree with the importance of open-mindedness, critical thinking, and allowing ourselves the freedom to grow and change. However, as someone with strong faith, I see this differently when it comes to religion. I’ve always been taught to have blind faith in the Lord, to me, faith isn’t about being closed-minded, it’s about trust, and believing in something greater than ourselves, even when we don’t fully understand it. While Bernstein sees dogma as something that limits human potential, I see faith as something that can elevate it. It gives people strength, purpose, and hope, especially in times when logic or reasoning fall short. So while I respect his point, I believe that certain kinds of “unquestioned” belief, especially in a spiritual sense, can be not only valid but deeply transforming.
The big idea in Bernstein’s piece, The Mountain Disappears, is the belief in people and trying to see good and potential in them along with our abilities to change and develop for the better. The author never says change is an easy path, but is a difficult one, but over time he does believe we can change for good and thinks that it is also important we don’t give up on others and keep searching for the good in people.
A part of this piece I liked is the line “I believe in the potential of people” (20). I like this because if you look at people and if they are in a bad place or something along those lines, you can look at them and see their potential for change in their lives and how they can change and improve for the better. I think it also means just being around people and noticing the potential for people to do good in their lives. I also think it is important to note that while you can see potential in people, that does not necessarily mean you need to expect that of people, sometimes you need to be able to meet them where they are for a bit.
Something I disagree with to a point is when he says “I believe that my country is the place where all these things I have been speaking of are happening in the most manifest way” (21). I think that everywhere and everyone has potential for change and amazing things, not necessarily just one specific place. I get what he was trying to say and I don’t necessarily fully disagree. I just think it is important to note that everyone can experience this anywhere.
This chapter is about believing in people—on an individual level and on a broad, country-level scale. The author demonstrates trust in people, no matter who, and hope in our country and humanity. Bernstein believes in both people’s rights and wrongs, and in their subconscious and conscious minds. He proves himself to be a very open-minded person, showing impartial acceptance for all throughout the text.
I really like how the author argues for peace and acceptance over war and hate. I appreciate how open-minded he is, and how he is very candid, even frank, about what he believes in. A specific line I like is, “We must believe in the attainability of good.” This line speaks to me on many levels. The author shows how he has a positive mindset, which I greatly respect. More so now than ever, we are faced with so much negativity and cynicism. So many young people have lost hope for humanity and the lookout of the planet. It’s very important in this time to stay strong in our belief in the attainability of good.
Throughout the chapter, Bernstein refers to humanity as male. He uses male specific pronouns, and rather than call us humanity, he calls us man. I understand that this was written a long time ago, but it’s still disappointing to see this very limiting language being used. But, it doesn’t stop there. The author also refers to our country as a woman. Comparing women to a place. This, again, is disappointing.
The big idea of this piece is that people matter most, and that humans can change, grow, and work toward a fair and democratic society.
One line I like is: “I believe in man’s right to be wrong. Out of this right he has built, laboriously and lovingly, something we reverently call democracy.” I like this because it shows that making mistakes is normal and even necessary. It reminds me that errors can help us learn and improve, both as individuals and as a society.
One line I find confusing is: “If we believe that man can never achieve a society without wars, then we are condemned to wars forever.” This feels too hopeful to me, because wars have always happened throughout history. I understand the author’s wish for peace, but I’m not sure it’s possible to imagine a world without any war.
I adored this reading. The way that Lenard has an undying belief that humans are good is truly inspiring. The quote “I believe that a man’s novelist endowment is his capacity to change” from page 19 stuck with me. I believe that all people can change if they really try their absolute hardest. This means that no matter how terrible you were, you can change for the better. No matter if society still views you as terrible, if you stick with it for the rest of your life they might change their mind. (well maybe not everyone I could never see the world forgiving hitler). I also loved how Lenard talked about the importance of art in expression. It shows the world another perspective of you and even of themselves. He also talks about how you can never have dignity without respecting the dignity of others. I think this is his way of saying equal rights. I love this worlding of it as it does not project onto one specific community or issue, but humanity itself respecting each other without question. I am writing this while listening to Bob Marley and I think that it is worth mentioning as it fits the text very well. The bit about America being a haven for technology and respect to grow was bittersweet to me as he talked about the growth of a healthy democracy and freedom of speech. This made me reflect on our current dissent into tyranny and loss of free speech. It is soul crushing how we have fallen so far in the span of 2 years. I am obsessed with the last paragraph. Lenard talks about respecting all humans and embracing each other and the creativity we come with. Overall this piece really spoke to me and I loved it.
Journal #12:
This is a writing about the power of a human being. I say this because there are examples of one person standing up for what they think is right, such as a person who is hurt by oppression or discrimination standing up and challenging the system of laws and the way the government works. The author expresses this theme multiple times throughout the writing. I circled the line about when people think the only way to peaceful and successful civilization is war, then there will be war. If people don’t want war, then there will not be war. Part of the reason why I like this is because it can be about huge scale, like intercontinental war, or it can be about finishing the last hundred feet of a run. This writing was strait forward for the most part, and nothing jumped out at me as confusing.
The big idea in the mountain disappears is the power of perseverance and how important it is to focus on the small manageable things to achieve the seemingly impossible goals. It shows that consistent effort and determination can lead to overcoming significant challenges. It really highlights how scary tasks can feel overwhelming, but by making them smaller tasks they can be easier to manage and make progress. A line that I really liked or agreed with was “ I believe in man’s right to be wrong (bernstiens)” I really liked this line because he is basically saying that he doesn’t mind people being wrong or when someone admits it. A line that I didn’t agree with or like was “ we must learn to know ourselves better through art.(bernstien)” I feel like you don’t have to learn about yourself just through art, it could be sports or reading. There are so many ways that you can learn about yourself.