Any thinkers here?

[Eake4]

Thanks guy!

[BasharOfTheAges]

Self-reliance.

Like doing your own damn homework.

[aesling]

Self-reliance.

Like doing your own damn homework.

[Eake4]

Self-reliance.

Like doing your own damn homework.

[aesling]

Ok, to be more serious here, I don't want to be mean, but usually when you are asked to pick your own essay topic, the goal is to make you think. Think critically about the issue, find some aspect of it that interests you, then do some research to support your thoughts and theories. In the course of your research you may find out all kinds of new things, and you may even have to adjust your original argument based on what you find. It's important to go through that process because teaching someone how to think for themselves and analyze issues is incredibly difficult, and asking an internet forum for help isn't going to help you learn that.

[inthesto]

You type that as if high schoolers had interest in anything other than their own dicks and video games.

Yes, female high schoolers do not exist.

[Emong]

Ok, to be more serious here, I don't want to be mean, but usually when you are asked to pick your own essay topic, the goal is to make you think. Think critically about the issue, find some aspect of it that interests you, then do some research to support your thoughts and theories. In the course of your research you may find out all kinds of new things, and you may even have to adjust your original argument based on what you find. It's important to go through that process because teaching someone how to think for themselves and analyze issues is incredibly difficult, and asking an internet forum for help isn't going to help you learn that.

But it's precisely the opposite: it's only when you get in contact with others and their opinions that your own opinions are challenged and you're forced to consider a lot of different options that you haven't even thought about before. This is how you learn to reflect on your own thinking, not in isolation from others.

It's always good to ask others for their ideas

[aesling]

Ok, to be more serious here, I don't want to be mean, but usually when you are asked to pick your own essay topic, the goal is to make you think. Think critically about the issue, find some aspect of it that interests you, then do some research to support your thoughts and theories. In the course of your research you may find out all kinds of new things, and you may even have to adjust your original argument based on what you find. It's important to go through that process because teaching someone how to think for themselves and analyze issues is incredibly difficult, and asking an internet forum for help isn't going to help you learn that.

But it's precisely the opposite: it's only when you get in contact with others and their opinions that your own opinions are challenged and you're forced to consider a lot of different options that you haven't even thought about before. This is how you learn to reflect on your own thinking, not in isolation from others.

It's always good to ask others for their ideas

That's an excellent point. I just see the difference being something like asking "Hey guys, what should I think about?" rather than, "Hey guys what do you think about X subject?"

[Taite]

Wow, it feels like yahoo answers in here!

That's an excellent point. I just see the difference being something like asking "Hey guys, what should I think about?" rather than, "Hey guys what do you think about X subject?"

Definitely agree.

I encourage healthy debates and discussions about "What do you think about such and such topic?" to help fuel ideas, but the way this thread was worded was simply a "I don't really know what to do, so can you just help start it for me," which is just a pet peeve of mine since I was highly independent growing up and even now, so I find it sort of unfair and an unhealthy way to approach learning.
Didn't mean to stray from the topic, just thought I'd throw my two cents in since it's just saddening to me seeing my generation being dumbed down and then being subject to those stereotypes.

Anyhoo, continue writing his/her homework everyone.

[Eake4]

Thanks guy!