about me:

Hey, hi, hello and what’s up? My name is Luka, and welcome to my very rushed co-leader application! Honestly, this is the first time that I’m writing my answers 2 days before the official deadline, but here’s to hoping they turn out alright <3

So anyways like I said, my name is Luka (she/her), residing in the underrated MST/MDT timezone! If you’ve known me for a while, you’ll know that I have a lot of hyperfixations hehe. I enjoy playing hoyoverse games such as Genshin, Honkai Star Rail and Zenless Zone Zero (and losing my 50/50 ugh), and my favorite shows are mainly anime, with Blue Lock and Bungou Stray Dogs being the biggest ones! Along with writing and drawing, I also enjoy making edits and memes, and posting them on my channel sometimes. Outside of my online life, I enjoy playing basketball, being a sports medicine trainer and hanging out with friends. I’m also currently in my second last year of high school and currently I’m trying to get the hang of driving!

I am also crazy for music, let me just tell you that. People like to say that I’m gradually going deaf because I always have my headphones on, but can you really blame me? My favorite music genres are rap(no not vulgar rap, don’t think of me like that…), afrobeats, r&b, kpop and jpop! My favorite artists are PinkPantheress and Le SSERAFIM ^^

previous participation:

July 2025 will be my 4th SWCversary! (throws confetti)

Honestly, it’s been such a blast and I can’t imagine my life without this little community on some corner of the internet. It feels like just yesterday that I was in 7th grade and I first discovered the camper sign ups for July 2021 on my home page.

Okay, now I feel old. Let me get back on track.

I’ve camped 5 times and (co)led 7 times! So in terms of experience, I definitely have a lot under my belt. If you’d like the full timeline, it’ll be below this post. I've also been a part of the MBC, Daily Team, Writing Competition Panel, Cabin Wars Mercenaries and volunteered in other things here and there! I've also placed in the writing competition three times: as an honorable mention, a judge's cut, and fourth place for fanfiction.

As for other leadership positions, uh, this is where my answer ends.

JUST KIDDING. I don’t have many solid leadership positions under my belt, so I’ll be grabbing at straws here, but one good example would be being the eldest sibling in my family, heck, even the eldest in all of my extended family, which if you didn’t know, comes with a lot of responsibility and unseen pressure. I was also elected to be the next student council vice president next year, which is huge for me considering my personality. So, while leadership may not be my strong suit, I am definitely able to step up to the task whenever necessary.
As for my experience in writing, well, you’re reading my leader app right now, so it speaks for itself: I’m not the best writer. Yeah, actually I’m not even close. However, I’ve always enjoyed writing just for fun, even if no one ever gets to read it. It’s such a nice feeling for me, jotting down the crazy ideas racing through my mind and turning them into a story. Whether it’s fiction, non-fiction, fanfiction (my forte ), or essays, I’ll never get over the joys of writing!

cabin preferences:

This is my first time in a long time applying for co-leader, so I’m a bit confused for what I should write down for this question haha. Nevertheless, I do have some cabins I’d love to be in solely because I love their concepts and themes, but at the end of the day, I will always love and appreciate whatever cabin I’m in! I would like to co-lead cabins like Adventure, Thriller, Lyric, Horror, Fantasy/Fairy Tales, and Sci-Fi! I would also love to co-lead any new cabin and unique genres that pop this session! As for cabins I don’t think I’d fit, honestly just Non-Fi and the Cabin That Will Not Win </3

excerpt:

time dedication:

So in June I’ll be focusing like crazy on exams. I only have two to worry about, but those two are Biology and Physics, and I want to excel on those exams. Studying for each should take me about a week, with breaks as well. In addition, this time last year, I signed up for summer school during July, and I also got accepted to lead a cabin. I said that I’d be able to handle it, and I did, but not as well as I hoped. This year, I’m taking summer school again, except this time it’s less time consuming and more manageable. And since I’m not leading, I’d have less responsibilities to take care of, meaning I’d be able to handle SWC and summer school way better than last time. Therefore, I can dedicate at least 2 hours a week to SWC in the days leading up to the session, and then a bit more time during July.

time management:

Every time someone mentions time management, a year is taken off my lifespan </3 /j

Over the years, my time management has significantly improved, and I’ve highlighted this in previous leader apps before. Yes, I procrastinate, but I’m also able to lock in and get work done on time. My main strength is that I know how and when to realize the importance of finishing a task, and I actually put in the work and effort to get it done. I’ve barely ever had any late assignments because of this. Besides, leading in SWC in the past, as well as other life experiences, have helped me realize just how important time management is, so I take it seriously. Another strength of mine is that I’m able to plan out my time well, and juggle lots of tasks. From schoolwork, to the things I do online, I have a lot of things I have to balance. Making schedules and keeping track of what I have to do, as well as knowing when to drop things because I simply don’t have enough time or energy, has definitely helped.
However, I also have my weaknesses, like my terrible habit of leaving things until the very last minute. We have this course at my school that’s mandatory for graduation, and it’s basically like your average health class, you just need to do a bunch of assignments and quizzes. It’s at your own pace, and you have from September to April to finish it. And as you can guess, I left it until the last week of April to finish. Did I end up finishing everything? Yep! Did I go under a whole lot of stress? Yep! It’s always been a silly habit of mine, and I’m sure one day it’s gonna catch up with me, which is why ever since that course, I’ve been trying to improve on it.

Is it working? You tell me, I left this leader app until the last 24 hours.

collaboration and assets:

STRENGTHS:

- Ambition ambition ambition! (I sound like Macbeth lol). When I love something and I want to do something, I WILL do it, no matter what challenges I have to face. So in a team, when something needs to be done, I’m usually the first person to step up to the task!

- Listening and learning! I am always willing to learn, whether from my mistakes or from experiences, or from other people. I enjoy hearing what others have to say and taking in new ideas and inspiration. In turn, I can incorporate it into my own styles as well.

- Respecting those I work with! It is always important to value the people in your team, because they can bring so much to the table. It’s about being nice, kind, caring and knowing that respect is a two way street. I will never belittle or make fun of someone I work with, but I also maintain respect for myself, knowing that I’ll stand up for myself if someone tries to disrespect me

WEAKNESSES:

- Overworking myself. This one has been big for me recently, since I tend to forget that I’m only just one person, and I definitely CANNOT do everything all on my own. I take on so many things and risk coming up with a sloppy outcome, instead of leaving some things to others and instead have a better outcome.

- Uncertainty. Whenever it comes to making decisions and things like that, I’m usually uncertain and not firm in what I should do. It’s why I tend to overthink things and end up letting others make those hard decisions.

- Self-consciousness. Yep! I’ve done so many leader apps and yet I’ll always put self-consciousness for this section because in reality, I think it’ll always be something I struggle with. Honestly it was never a problem up until some very unsettling and unfortunate experiences I’ve had, and since then I’ve had this hidden fear of being rejected and even mocked, so that’s why I’m more reserved in group situations.

In terms of assets, I believe that I can bring lots of things to the table! I have experience with SWC, in almost every corner, I’m upbeat and can be outgoing when I feel like it, and I always have that little sense of optimism with me. So it may not seem like much, but when it comes to teamwork, it can come a long way <3

leader quality:

There’s this quote I once came across from a meme, and if I remember correctly, it said this:

“Don’t mess up the progress trying to rush the process, because if February didn’t March, April May.”

Okay that was corny, I get it, but here me out. What I’m trying to point out here is one leader quality I hold in high regard: patience! Patience is a quality that I think easily gets overlooked, at least in my perspective. You see, being a leader isn’t easy. It’s not like some walk in the park with the birds and bees, it’s more a road with a few bumps and potholes. When you’re a leader, and you along with the others are striving for a goal, the way to that goal will have challenges. Perhaps it’s an argument, a mistake, some misunderstanding or miscommunication, any sort of setback. A good leader knows that these obstacles exist, and instead of having an outburst, handling it poorly that all your progress might even get messed up, or straight up calling it quits, a good leader will instead have the patience to work through the problem and look for a solution. And while yes, it’s good to be firm about some things, firmness and patience go hand in hand, and go a long way towards fixing the setback. I believe that this is an important quality to have in SWC, since in the month and a half long duration that (co)leaders will be creating and managing a cabin, there will be roadblocks. Trust me, I’ve seen many, and it does happen. However, by being patient and focusing on the solution instead of the problem, you can find your way around, and this is something that I will definitely try to embody as a leader. Patience can go a long way!

atmosphere:

a fun, inclusive, competitive (or relaxed) and welcoming space, where memories are made, friendships are formed, stories are created, and the good times always roll! (165 characters)

checklist:

a. I will be available to add points in the main cabin consistently throughout camp

I’m willing to share a promotion project for SWC

b. N/A!

c. In the case of inactive leadership by myself, whether foreseen or unforeseen, I will reach out to the hosts via Scratch or by other means if absolutely necessary. I will also reach out to my team or ask someone to pass the message onto them if I simply can’t. I will also try to finish up any outstanding tasks or re-assign them to someone else if needed. In the case of inactive leadership by someone else, I’ll reach out to them and if there’s no response, I’ll let my team and the hosts know. I would also re-assign any tasks they had to do and if needed, make a new studio for the cabin.

daily - motivational speech

Hi Viktor, my name's Luka, and it's nice to meet you! At first I wasn't even sure if I would be able to write this on time since cramps are acting like my worst enemy right now, but this is supposed to be motivational and it would be the complete opposite of that if I just gave up.

With that out of the way, first I wanted to congratulate you on getting an internship! Although I haven't done one myself, I've heard that they're very fun and definitely worth it. Internships do take effort and time, but if you put your all into it, then you'll definitely get as much as possible out of this opportunity.

Secondly, go out there and have loads of fun with your friends. If you're on summer break right now, then it's one of the best times to make plans and meet up with your friend group. Trust me, you won't regret it. The best memories I've made with my own friends have mostly been during the exciting days that summertime will bring. So whether you're going shopping or hanging out at the park, it'll be worth it.

Finally, I think it’s awesome that you're entering a writing contest! Writing contests are a great way to not only share your works with others, but it's also a good way to improve (and then of course there's the sweet prizes). So whether you place or not, you'll still get something out of it. Though, I'm not writing this with the mindset that you won’t win, because you will! That's the confidence I have in you and I hope you have just as much confidence in yourself as well. I'm positive that you can finish up that piece on time and enter it with your best foot forward.

Thanks for sharing your goals with me, it was nice to send some motivation your way. Good luck!

(319 words)

social studies assignments
—–

La première source décrit le succès du capitalisme. L’auteur présente ce système comme une nécessité qui donne aux individus le droit de choisir ce qui vont faire par rapport à l'économie. Ça assure que personne n'empêche une autre personne d'exercer la liberté d'expression. Alors basée sur l’opinion de l'auteur, le capitalisme réussit à créer un système économique et social qui encourage l’innovation et du participation enthusiastique dans l'économie, pour le bénéfice du peuple et du pays. Cette source indique que l’auteur soutient une perspective positive sur le capitalisme. Il démontre les conséquences du capitalisme et son effet positif sur l'économie. Au cause que le source support un système liée avec un économie laissez faire, et met de l’importance sur les libertés économiques, le perspectif du source support le libéralisme classique. Le lien entre la perspective de la source et le libéralisme est qu’il est enraciné libéralisme. Le capitalisme est un produit du libéralisme classique, qui prioritise l’intervention gouvernementale limite et les propriétés privées qui encouragent la liberté, l’innovation, et l’esprit humain.

Dans la deuxième source, l’auteur décrit le capitalisme, qui est un caractéristique du libéralisme, comme un facteur prominent dans l’injustice sociale et le maltraitement de différentes classes sociales. L’auteur préfère un ordre social emporté par l’autonomie gouvernementale, ce qu’il croit être la seule solution possible aux problèmes présentés par le capitalisme. Le source démontre une perspective plutôt négative sur le libéralisme classique, et présente une concerne contre le système du capitalisme dans l'économie. Ça critique les fondations du capitalisme; que les personnes riches deviennent plus riches et les personnes pauvres restent pauvres. Pour cette raison, c'est clair que la perspective du source est liée avec le socialisme democratique comme une réaction contre les conséquences négatives du libéralisme classique et ses abus. Le source soutient le perspective que l'égalité économique n’est pas possible dans un système capitaliste, et seulement possible avec l’intervention du gouvernement.

La troisième source présente un groupe de personnes en train de protester dans une rue. Le pancarte dans l’image est un symbole et indicateur de l’opinion de la groupe. Le pancarte soutient que les peuples sont plus importants que les banques, les marchés, et le profit; ces aspects représentent l'économie. Le source implique que les gens ne bénéficient pas du système d'économie en place, car les profits sont devenus plus importants que les consommateurs. Les implications démontrées dans le source soutiennent l'idée que le groupe est probablement contre les conditions négatives du capitalisme. Alors on peut déduire en regardant le source qu’il présente un opinion de socialisme democratique, car ça met de l’importance sur le peuple plutôt que sur l'économie. Cette source est une réaction contre le libéralisme, parce que le socialisme democratique est une réaction contre les conditions négatives du libéralisme classique et ces abus.

Les trois sources sont basées sur le sujet du capitalisme. Ils répondent à la question suivante: “a quelle niveau est ce que le libéralisme classique favorise le peuple et la pays?” Chaque source présente sa propre idée par rapport à la question. Le première source est en faveur du libéralisme classique, et indique qu’il est essentiel pour la liberté économique de l’individu et l’esprit humain, tant que les deuxième et troisième sources sont contre la première. Le deuxième source présente une perspective de socialisme democratique, qui espère voir le système de capitalisme enlever. Le troisième source soutient aussi le socialisme democratique, et remet en question l’importance des peuples comparé a le profit. Ces sources montrent le conflit entre les conditions positives et négatives du capitalisme, ce qui concerne le libéralisme classique. Essentiellement, ils font penser au lecteur à quel niveau le libéralisme classique fait du bénéfice à l'économie et au peuple, et comment ses succès et abus ont un effet sur la vie sociale.

La source croit qu' il n’est pas possible pour le gouvernement d’intervenir dans les affaires de ces citoyens d'une mesure beneficial pour tout le monde. L’auteur de source démontre une perspective négative contre le collectivisme, et embrasse un perspective individualiste qui est enraciné dans le libéralisme classique. Ca rejette l'idéologie du socialisme democratique et l'idée que l’Etat devrait diriger la vie des individus. Le source remet en question l’efficacité du gouvernement quand ils essaient d'égaliser les humains qui sont naturellement unique. Je crois qu’on devrait soutenir le source de façon très limitée. Il est vrai qu’on est tous différents, mais ces différences sont facilement utilisées davantage par les gens en pouvoir. Il faut avoir de la prudence pour éviter l'inégalité d’un niveau extrême, les problèmes économiques, et l’injustice envers les populations vulnérables.

Premièrement, la perspective de source suggère que les sociétés devraient être basées sur les mérites individuels. Cela est dangereux car certaines qualités vont être prioriser comparé à d' autres, qui éventuellement contribuent à un idéologue fasciste. L'histoire tourne a le régime d’Adolf Hitler comme un exemple très infâme. Hitler pensait que le race d’individu était plus important que n’importe d’autre. Les allemands était supérieur que les autres races dans ces yeux, et c’est sur cette fondation qu’il a construit son régime violent. Millions de personnes Juifs, colorées, discriminées par leur orientation sexuelle, ou simplement contre Hitler, ont mourir à cause des politiques individualistes extrêmes. Le monde était mis en guerre à cause des politiques individualistes extrêmes. Le pire genocide d’histoire était causé par les politiques individualistes extrêmes. A cause que l’Etat allemand pensait que les mérites des “vrai allemands” était plus important que les mérites des autres races, éventuellement le pays était pris avec le fascisme. Alors, il faut être prudent avec les suggestions mises à la source. Quand l’Etat priorise l’individu trop, les autres sont laissées à côte, jusqu’au bout que le sens d'égalité est complètement perdu.

Un autre désavantage de source est au niveau de l'économie. Un économie basée seulement sur le capitalisme peut avoir des conséquences très négatives. Un exemple est la Grande Dépression. Dans les Etat Unis, leur économie capitaliste n'était pas régulée efficacement, ce qui avait causé un krach boursier. Cet événement était le commencement d’une période de chômage élevé, pauvreté et protectionnisme. De plus, le gouvernement avait hésité à intervenir dans la situation, car il pensait que l'économie allait se réparer lui même. C'était une décision qui a seulement causé plus de problèmes. Individualisme n'était pas un succès du tout. Ce n'était pas jusqu'à plus tard que L’Etat avait pris l’action. Le président à ce temps, Roosevelt, a bâti un plan appelé le New Deal, concentré sur l’aide, la réforme et la reprise. Le plan avait mis les idées et théories de John Maynard Keynes en pratique. Le gouvernement est intervenu avec beaucoup d’initiatives comme le système de sécurité sociale, le loi sur l’ajustement agricole, et l’aide aux chômeurs. L'économie a finalement stabilisé après une décennie de difficultés. Le système de capitalisme, enracinée dans le libéralisme classique et liée avec l’individualisme, a causé le plus grand krach boursier dans le monde, et un période marquée par un économie affaibli. A la fin, une solution était seulement trouver avec l’aide du gouvernement. C’est clair que l’intervention de L’Etat est nécessaire pour éviter un désastre dans l'économie. Leur initiatives et l’aide est nécessaire pour aider les gens qui ne bénéficient pas du capitalisme, et ça leur donne un opportunité d’avoir un peu d'égalité. L’Etat n’est pas restrictif, il est important pour la croissance économique.

Dernièrement, la perspective de la source est ignorante des populations vulnérables. Si l'individualisme n’est pas contrôlée, certaines personnes resteront en pouvoir et vont être favorisée tant que certaines personnes seront laissé en arrière, et en résultat, ils vont recevoir plus de difficultés dans leur vie. Reaganomics ont aidé à prouver ce fait. Dans les années 1980, l’opinion publique était que le New Deal proposé par Roosevelt avait contribué aux dettes du pays. Le solution? Au perspective de Ronald Reagan, le nouveau président, c'était de retirer le plupart de l'intervention gouvernementale. Il le fera par reduire les impots et réglementations, en particulier pour les entreprises et les riches. En même temps, le gouvernement dépensera plus sur les autres affaires comme le militaire. Alors, c'était quoi l’aspect positif pour les classes moyennes? C'était supposé être l'économie de ruissellement. La théorie derrière les Reaganomics était que les entreprises et les classes supérieures voulaient dépenser plus dans l'économie à cause des impôts diminuer. Comme résultat, les employés et la classe moyenne vont recevoir ces investissements et augmenter leur richesse aussi. Mais ce n’est jamais arrivé. Les gens plus pauvres n’ont pas directement reçu les investissements dans l'économie, et l'écart entre les riches et les pauvres est devenu plus tard. En même temps, la dette publique a augmenté de façon énorme. Un économie sans le gouvernement était l'opportunité parfaite pour les classes supérieures, mais les classes vulnérables ont souffert les conséquences. Ils étaient traités de façon inégale et injuste. Les idées de Reagan avaient un bon intention, mais c'était exécuter très mal, à cause d’un manque de prudence.

En conclusion, la perspective soutenue par les sources ne devrait pas être adoptée en grand mesure. C’est facile pour l’individualisme d'être utilisé de façon negatif. Il est apparent au cours de l’histoire que ca contribue à des idéologies extrêmes, les désastres économiques, et ne bénéfice pas les classes sociales plus bas. Il est vrai que les individus sont tous différents et uniques, mais le source oublie qu’ils sont tous obligés d'être traités avec l'égalité qui bénéficie à tout le monde. Dans des sociétés très complexes, cela n’est pas possible sans l’Etat en charge, le gouvernement, pour maintenir l’ordre et un contrôle approprié. L'individualisme et le collectivisme doivent être balancés et utilisés d’une façon appropriée, pour assurer la sécurité et la liberté de la communauté.

Dans la deuxième source, l’auteur décrit le capitalisme, qui est un caractéristique du libéralisme, comme un facteur prominent dans l’injustice sociale et le maltraitement de différentes classes sociales. L’auteur préfère un ordre social emporté par l’autonomie gouvernementale, ce qu’il croit être la seule solution possible aux problèmes présentés par le capitalisme. Le source démontre une perspective plutôt négative sur le libéralisme classique, et présente une concerne contre le système du capitalisme dans l'économie. Ça critique les fondations du capitalisme, et pour cette raison c’est clair que la perspective du source est liée avec le socialisme comme une réaction contre les conséquences négatives du libéralisme classique et ses abus. Le source soutient le perspective que l'égalité économique n’est pas possible dans un système capitaliste, et seulement possible avec l’intervention du gouvernement.

Le première source est une caricature avec deux personnes. La personne à gauche regarde bien et relaxe. Il est décrit comme “le capitaliste”. Contrairement, la personne au droit regarde fatiguée, épuisée et pas en bon condition. Il est décrit comme “le travailleur”. Le source démontre le contraste entre les deux côtés pendant une grève. Un grève est un action qui adresse les conflits dans le main-d’œuvre avec le but de trouver une solution. Cependant, les seuls personnes qui sont affectés négativement par la grève sont les personnes qui ont commencé l'initiative: les travailleurs. Les capitalistes qui devraient être affectés par la grève, sont encore confortables et ne reçoivent rien des conséquences. Le source remet en question l’impacte d'une grève si les travailleurs ne reçoivent pas justice. Les capitalistes sont vue d’un perspective négative, tant que les travailleurs sont insuline d'être les victimes. De plus, l'idée du source suggère que l'égalité économique n’existe pas du tout, même avec les grèves, et ils ne fonctionnent pas. Le perspective de source est que le capitalisme est fondé sur l'inégalité financière, donc c’est un réaction contre le libéralisme, plutôt le libéralisme classique. Le capitalisme et le marché libre est le source d'inégalité entre les citoyens, et sa cause la souffrance entre le pauvre et la classe moyen, tant que la minorité qui ne sont pas affectés reste indifférente

Ensuite, la deuxième source parle de la nature de l'économie. L’auteur décrit l'économie comme une science sociale qui dépend de la nature humaine. Par conséquent, les marchés ne sont pas capables de maximiser les bienfaits et le bien être pour tout le monde. Certaines personnes vont recevoir un résultat positif tandis que les autres vont souffrir les conséquences. Alors, les marchés échouent le bien être de ces individus. Le source met du significance sur le bien être. L'idée est que le bien être devrait être égal pour tous les citoyens, mais un économie qui est régulée par la nature humaine fait l'opposé de cela. Le coût des marchés qui fonctionnent comme est la souffrance; la souffrance des classe moyens et les populations vulnérables. Mais l’auteur donne une solution. Il suggère que l’intervention gouvernementale est nécessaire pour corriger les erreurs d'un système de laissez-faire. Il y a besoin d’un pouvoir pour avoir de l’ordre. Le perspective de source est une réaction au libéralisme classique, et favorise le socialisme democratique. Le source suggère que pour maximiser le bien être pour toute la société, il faut arrêter de dépendre d'une économie qui est une science sociale et plutôt d' un gouvernement qui est une science physique.

Le troisième source est visuelle avec une manifestante qui tient un papier. Le message montre un rejet complet de la propriété privée. Ca montre un perspective negative sur les main-d’oeuvre qui exploitent les travailleurs avec les salaraires, par comparer cet systeme avec l’esclavage. Le manifestante veut aussi la fin des marchés qui sont dirigés par les profits, un caractéristiques d’un système capitaliste. Cependant, le manifestante est en faveur de la propriété qui appartient à tout le monde. Le “99%” représente la société, incluant les classe moyennes, les populations vulnérables et ce qui ne sont pas favoriser par un système capitaliste. Il y en a un appelé d’avoir un changement dans le système qui met fin a les idées libéralistes et capitalistes. Il y a un opinion très négative sur la privatisation, les systèmes de profits, et l’individualisme de l'économie. L'idée de cette source est une perspective enracinée dans le socialisme très extrême. Il est très proche des centrales de communisme. Alors, le perspective de source est un rejet des principes libéraux, est il est liee avec le communisme. La seule façon de réaliser les souhaits du manifestante est avec un gouvernement autoritaire. L’intervention extrême de L’Etat pour éliminer complètement le système privé complètement est un des facteurs clés d'une société communistes qui essaie de promouvoir l'égalité que, dans les perspective de source, ne peut pas être donnée par le libéralisme.

Les trois sources posent la question suivante: dans quelle mesure est-ce-que le système capitaliste protège les populations vulnérables? Toutes les sources sont collectivistes et socialiste. Il sont contre le capitalisme, certains principes du libéralisme classique et l'individualisme, et suggèrent un support fort pour l’intervention gouvernementale. L'idée clé dans les trois sources est qu'une économie avec les valeurs individualistes va toujours être la cause de l'inégalité économique. Le dessin montre que l'inégalité est trop enracinée dans le système capitaliste et que les actions qui devraient aider les travailleurs ne fonctionnent pas. L'auteur du deuxième source insinue que l'inégalité économique est causée par la nature de l'économie dépendant de l’humain, qui ne peut pas se corriger lui-même pour le bien-être de la société. Finalement, l’image remet en question le nécessite pour un changement majeur au système, pour prioriser les valeurs collectivistes extrêmes. Il y en a des thèmes très similaires entre les sources, qui sont le besoin de changement dans le système, l'inégalité, et le socialisme. En conclusion, toutes les sources répondent le suivant a la question: le système protège les populations vulnérables de façon très limitée. Il faut du changement pour avoir d'égalité. Il faut aller contre les principes individualistes enracinés dans le système, en faveur d'une société plus collectiviste.
(2597 words)

religion assignments (partial proof)
—–

Question 1

Ethics and morals are two concepts that cover the same scope but are often confused with one another. In simple terms, morals are personal beliefs on what is right and wrong, while ethics are standards of what is right and wrong set by a collective group. Both depend on many factors such as background, beliefs, values, society, and of course, religion. Many religions including Catholics have their morals and ethics rooted in sacred texts, practices and traditions. For Catholics and Christians, morality and ethics are both defined by the Scriptures. The Bible is God's living word speaking to us, guiding us through what is right and wrong, acceptable and unacceptable.

All of our choices are founded in ethics and morals. They heavily influence our actions, our everyday lives, and our conscience as well. This is because everyone has something they believe it. Perhaps they think there is a God, or multiple gods, or no gods at all, but there is always a place where our morals come from. Whatever that place is, it's crucial in determining what we think is right and wrong. What we think is good or bad reflects our values as well. Additionally, our choices not only affect us, but those around us. That's why there is an ethical/moral dimension to everything that we do.

Ethics and moral guide us, even our though process. For example, let's talk about an essay. Usually, writing an essay means you have to take up a position about a specific topic and defend your position. Sometimes you need to incorporate personal experiences into it as well. Obviously, you expect everyone's answer to be different, because everyone has different values which tie into their morals and ethics. Whenever I would write an essay, I used to constantly worry that there's only one answer to the question. However, as I learned later on, that's not the case. The whole point of an essay to express your perspective in an insightful and clear manner. The marker may personally disagree with my position, but that's not what they're grading. It's impossible to grade an essay based on their position, because since we as human will always have different views, no single person gets to determine what is actually moral and ethically correct. The only person that has ever been able to do this is Christ.

So as a Catholic, we strive to follow Christ's moral and ethical guidance, while also recognizing that there are different opinions out there.

“No one can serve two masters, for a slave will either hate the one and love the other or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” (Matthew 6:24)

This teaching speaks to me because it symbolizes that we can’t idolize one thing and then claim to idolize the other. We can’t have one foot in and one foot out. When it comes to following God, we have to be devoted to it. That doesn’t mean that we can’t like anything else or have any interests, it just means that God takes first priority over all. This speaks to me because sometimes I find myself straying from His path in favor of other things that aren’t worth it in the end.

“In everything do to others as you would have them do to you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”

The Golden Rule is one of the most well-known verses in the Bible. It means to treat people as you would want to be treated. This verse speaks to me because it outlines how I want to live my life. I wouldn’t want to be treated unfairly and unjustly, so I shouldn’t treat others that way. Instead, I should focus on treating others with kindness and respect, even when it’s not reciprocated.

Video Clip: Hollyn - Can't Live Without (Official Audio Video)

This song is one of my favorite songs to listen to. It reminds me of the first teaching; that no one can serve two masters. The song describes not being able to truly live without God in your life. While it sounds extreme, it’s actually very true. The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. No other master or idolized object could ever replace that. It’s because God is our true source of happiness and joy, and without him we feel empty.

I believe that indifference is society's greatest ethical problem today. As mentioned in the video, hearing about and seeing violence too often in day-to-day life leads to people becoming desensitized to major issues in our world today. It's become way too easy to dismiss problems that seemingly don't affect us or even mock them and spin them into jokes which lack empathy and compassion. Additionally, ethical indifference is one of the biggest causes of strife and conflict against people. and it's a problem that has worsened because of social media, exposing people to even more violence and societal issues. Even though slight exposure to real life issues should be a good thing in order for there to be awareness, many people choose to turn away instead of pursuing the infinite good. Personally, I've seen indifference become more common towards large-scale problems like the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. While hundreds of people are dying and are in desperate need of aid, many people choose to turn a blind eye instead of having compassion and empathy, simply because they're “tired of hearing about it” or think that they “deserve it” when in reality, no innocent life on either side of the conflict deserves to be extinguished

She felt like a deer in the headlights, completely enraptured by the blinding billboards and flashing lights of various colors.

“Hey, get out of the way!”

A young man riding an electric scooter barely avoided her still figure in the streets, but managed to hit her with an obscene gesture before rounding the corner. The near-accident snapped her out of her trance, and she decided to leave the sidewalk and sit on a bench nearby. March was taking longer than usual, and her feet were already killing her.

To say Penacony was a confusing place was a harsh understatement. To put it simply, Penacony was basically an advertisement with a bunch of little advertisements, and in those little advertisements there were littler ones. And they were all begging for attention. Then, there were the countless people that fell for the message Penacony aimed to broadcast: that in the land of dreams, anything can come true. Some people were chasing that message with narrow minds, some people were looking to abuse that opportunity, and some people just didn’t want to be here. Like Stelle, for example.

If it weren’t for the fact that she wasn’t alone, she was certain that she would’ve gotten lost by now.

Stelle was starting to regret not going with Himeko, Dan Heng and Mr. Yang to… wherever they had gone to. She hadn’t heard where they were going, but she honestly wanted to be in anywhere but Golden Hour, Penacony’s crazy shopping district. However, someone had to stay with March 7th, who unlike her friend, loved shopping and spending money she didn’t have.

“Grab a bottle of Soul-Glad, win a prize!” A shrill, annoying voice pierced through the soundwaves of the crowds. “Come test your luck today!”

There were a lot of people gathered by a Soul-Glad stand, more than usual. The little pepeshis seemed to be struggling to even contain the mass of excited and then disappointed folks once they got their hands on a bottle.

Stelle watched earnestly as an Intellitron purchased a bottle, bragging loudly about how he was feeling very lucky. He tore off the paper at the back, and in the next moment, he threw the bottle into the trash, fuming.

From what she gathered, it looked like Soul-Glad was doing a flash giveaway as some sort of promotion, and clearly it was working a little too well. She figured the prize must be huge considering the amount of people trying to get it. Was it credits? A free vacation giveaway? A golden trash can?

The longer she watched, the more she wanted to get in on the action herself. Unfortunately, she had given March her wallet (reluctantly under Himeko’s orders), and she really didn’t feel like getting squished by that crowd. Plus, even if she won some money, Pom-Pom would make her use it to finally renovate her room. Thinking about it sent a shiver down her spine.

Suddenly, Stelle felt something hit her foot. She looked down to see a Soul-Glad bottle that had conveniently rolled right towards her, just waiting to be picked up. She did so and looked around to see if anyone had accidently dropped their drink, but no one was paying attention to her or the bottle. Perhaps this was a sign from the Aeons. Or maybe it was just a sign that she was thirsty as hell. She shrugged and cracked open the bottle, letting the fizzy drink flow down into her body. Soul-Glad was probably the only good thing about Penacony.

As she drank, she noticed that the label at the back was starting to peel off. Right, everyone who had bought a bottle had been tearing away at that label as if it were their gateway to success, only to be met with absolute failure and a nutritional label to remind them of how unhealthy they were being. But Stelle figured she might as well try her luck. It wasn’t like she had paid for the drink, so it was like a free chance. Why waste it? She finished the drink and tore off the label… only to be met with nutritional facts. Oh well, maybe she had too much confidence in her chances after all.

“There you are!” An exhausted March 7th came up to her, holding stripped bags stuffed with clothes in each hand. “Jeez, I thought you’d run off somewhere. You do get easily distracted.”

“Look who’s talking,” Stelle rolled her eyes, amused. “You spent an entire hour in that store, and you said you only wanted to get one thing!”

March smiled proudly. “I know, but they had great deals on these cute shorts I’ve always wanted. Oh, and their earrings and their necklaces were so cute! I got matching ones for all five of us- Hey, what’s that in your hand?”

“Soul-Glad.” Stelle lifted the bottle in her face. “You get yourself one, they’re doing some sort of giveaway. One of the bottles has a prize attached to it.”

March frowned, pointing at the back of the drink. “Okay, but since when does Soul-Glad have a golden label?”

“What?” Stelle looked at the label again. Now that she was seeing it, wasn’t the nutritional label supposed to be white? The one she had was golden and sparkling. Intrigued, she carefully peeled off the label to reveal yet another one, and this time it was much different. Bolded red letters spelling ‘W I N N E R !’ were staring right at her.

“Oh my gosh, doesn’t that mean we win?!” Naturally, the pink haired girl wasn’t able to contain her shock. “We actually won something? Hey- hey you over there! I think we bought the winning bottle!”

Before Stelle could get March to shut her blabbermouth, everyone in the plaza was already looking at them, flabbergasted. The gray-haired woman could only wave awkwardly.

In an instant, the group of pepeshi from the stand had surrounded them, having heard March’s wild claim. Stelle didn’t even get a chance to react when a blonde one with glasses yanked the drink out of her hands and began inspecting it carefully. The crowd around them watched in anticipation as well. Finally, the little being cleared her throat.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have our winner!”

There was an eruption of cheers, groans and boos in every corner. The two girls were pulled out from the commotion and had their pictures taken by anticipating photographers and had mics waved in their faces by story-hungry reporters. Stelle suddenly felt like she was a celebrity. March was proudly indulging in every single moment of fame.

One of the reporters managed to break through the crowd. “Excuse me! Aves here from the Cosmic Daily. How does it feel to have won such a lucky prize?”

“Uh, it feels great? But I don’t even know what the heck I even won.”

One of the pepeshis was shocked. “You didn’t know? You just won an all-expenses paid trip on board the famous Radiant Feldspar, the most luxurious airship in all the Asdana Star system!”

“The Radiant Feldspar?!” March screamed.

“The Radioactive Field what now?” Stelle asked.

“Look towards the camera! Say cheese!”

“Mind giving us a few comments on your stunning win?”

“What do you plan to do aboard the Feldspar?”

“How does it feel to have shredded the dreams of millions of Penaconians?”

Eventually, the crowd started to dissipate, giving Stelle and March the opportunity to be led away by the Soul-Glad team. They were brought back to the stand which was now completely devoid of any drinks. Their promotion really did work.

“Okay,” the blonde pepeshi sighed in relief. “Now, we’ll have to take you two back to headquarters in order to sign a few documents. Legal stuff, no need to stress about it. We’ll also need to see the receipt for this purchase.”

“No problem, my friend here is the one that bought it,” March gestured to Stelle.

“Actually, I didn’t buy it.”

“Huh?!”

“See, that’s what I was trying to say in all that commotion,” Stelle shook her head. “The bottle just rolled at my feet. I never knew what this giveaway was about, and I didn’t even know it was the winning bottle until my friend pointed it out. Anyway, I don’t have a receipt for this, sorry?”

It was like all the color had been drained from March’s face. “So… if you never bought it, does that mean we don’t win? I’ll never get to go on a fancy airship?”

“Ooh, this is a problem,” one of the male pepeshis gasped. “The rules for the giveaway clearly state that upon request, the winner must provide proof that they purchased the drink.”

“But the media has probably already blown the story everywhere by now!” Another pepeshi said. “It’s gonna look real bad if we change it up now.”

The blonde girl stayed silent for a moment, and then nodded. “Here’s my decision. We’ll spin the story around and say it was a stroke of luck. A poor girl and her only friend stumbled upon the bottle and ended up winning. We’ll turn this into a feel-good story that’ll melt everyone's hearts.”

“Oh, so when we sponsor them, they’ll bring in more money! Great idea boss!”

It was like all the color had come back to March’s face. “So, we win? I’ll finally get the chance to go on a fancy airship?”

“March, it’s one bottle. Aka one ticket,” Stelle said.

“Actually, the giveaway prize is specifically an all expenses paid ride on the Radiant Feldspar, along with a plus one.”

“OMG, do you know what this means Stelle?!” March exclaimed, jumping for joy. “We’re going on an airship!”

As much as Stelle already felt exhausted by the crazy atmosphere surrounding Golden Hour, she was definitely intrigued about a free ride. And not just any free ride, but allegedly the most luxurious one in the something something star system. It was basically going to be a once in a lifetime experience. Plus, it wasn’t like she was going to be alone; she had one of her best friends with her. So, what could possibly go wrong?

“You know what? Why not? We deserve a good time anyway.”

“I’m so excited, just wait until we tell everyone else about this! They’re gonna be so jealous, I bet Dan Heng’s gonna hate having to listen to us brag about it.”

As the two girls walked away with the pepeshis, another billboard sign caught Stelle's attention. For the brief three seconds it was there, she just couldn't tear her eyes away.

Stelle buried her face in her pillow and cried. She broke out sobbing for the first time since the explosion, and she couldn’t stop. She cried and cried, as if her heart was breaking into a million pieces.

And this wouldn’t be the last time.

——–

The Iris Hotel was actually quiet for once.

By this time it would be lively with partygoers, the nightclub would be packed, staff would be working triple overtime, and no one would ever be able to sleep because of the countless noise violations.

However tonight, Jade was the only one in the lobby. She stood at the ice machine, filling up a bag because she couldn’t bear to drink anything without ice.

She yawned, the sleeping tugging aimlessly at her eyes. This was the first time in months that she was actually exhausted. As a workaholic that did most of her work in the late and early hours, she was accustomed to staying up. But tonight had been mentally and emotionally draining. Watching the airship she was supposed to be on blow up into tiny bits, going through questioning, being stranded in Penacony, spending even more time swamped in calls from all kinds of places.

“Oh, Lady Bonajade?”

As she continued to fill up on ice, a familiar figure came up to her. Topaz came up to her, wearing red sweats and a white t-shirt with the logo of some niche band. Unlike Jade, she had completely taken off her makeup and her hair looked like a mess. She looked like she had aged five years in one single night.

“Topaz,” Jade said. “I thought you were turning in for the night.”

“I was, but I guess I wasn’t able to,” Topaz laughed weakly. “Numby did better than me though. She was knocked out as soon as we got back to the room.”

“As expected of a Warp Trotter. But, it’s unexpected that you’re not able to sleep.”

“Yeah I know, it’s pathetic. You’d think that Topaz, one of the Ten Stonehearts of the strategic department, having seen terrors before in war-torn and poor planets in my line of work, wouldn’t be fazed by some explosion-.”

“Jelena.” Jade interrupted her, and silence took over once again. “Don’t say