I turned this in a while ago, but I thought it was one of my better pieces of writing, something I actually whacked out in rough form, cut down to shape, filed, sanded, and smoothed to a polished product. Note: it is 870 words long... a quick read though.

PROMPT:
Washington Post Op-Ed columnist George Will recently noted (Nov. 20, 2005) that "with everyone chatting on cell phones when not floating in iPod-land, 'this is an age of social autism, in which people just can't see the value of imagining their impact on others'." Thinking about the issue, indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with George Will’s assertion. Citing examples from your own experience, discuss how such a state of affairs might affect your efforts in college to motivate peers toward meaningful participation in a specific service project in which you plan to become involved. Please limit responses to 1 page, front side only, in 11pt or larger font.

ESSAY:
My current piano teacher is heavily involved with the University of Mary Washington Music Department. As a result, I often volunteer to usher at performances presented by students in the Music Department. At a recent performance, after the doors were shut, I discreetly sought out a seat from which I would be able to watch the pianist. As the performance began, I was delighted by the quality of the music and it seemed as though it would be an excellent evening. That was until Ms. Patent Leather Boots arrived. Five minutes late and without the decency to wait for a pause in the music, this woman barged into the music hall. She didn’t quietly open the door, nor ease it back into place. Whoom! The door crashed back, and the conductor was obviously annoyed by the interruption in a particularly intricate section of the music. I turned to see Ms. Patent Leather Boots assume a seat right behind me, as though the world was hers. Her rudeness didn’t stop there. After showing up late, disturbing the performance, and aggravating the audience, she felt it necessary to cross her legs. Normally, this wouldn’t have bothered me. It did when I realized a pair of rain-soaked, squeaking, smelly patent leather boots were right next to my face. I looked back at her as if to ask, “Just who do you really think you are?” She lifted her chin and stared ahead as though I was the peon, she the queen, and the music a mere offering barely satisfactory to her high and mighty tastes.

After having a would-be great experience marred by such a rude and irreverent person, I had to wonder, are people really this self-centered? Is it possible for a human being to act so rudely towards others without care for anyone but themselves? After the experience with Ms. Patent Leather Boots, I began to watch more carefully how people act in regard to others. In grocery stores, people push their carts like weapons of war; shoppers had better beware of who may be pushing a “cart of doom.” In school, students seem to think its perfectly acceptable to stand in the center of the most congested area of the school and gossip for the full five minutes between classes. At sports events, if you leave your seat for even one minute, be ready for a seat shark to take your seat - it rarely matters if your personal belongings were still there. The place that has become most shocking for me is on the road. Driving used to be a leisurely activity (according to parents and grandparents). Learning to drive was an exciting and fun experience. Nowadays, I dread having to go down certain narrow country roads and local highways due to the careless driving of others. Drivers speed and weave in and out of traffic, endangering other people’s lives without the slightest of cares. It is even more aggravating to realize that they are probably heading towards somewhere they don’t want to be. So why the rush?

It is discouraging to believe that people truly are as mean-spirited as Ms. Patent Leather Boots. Experience has begun to show me that there really are people out there as rude and self-centered as that lady. George Will was absolutely correct in asserting that people don’t imagine or even begin to consider how their actions will impact others. Scientists, philosophers, politicians, doctors, engineers, musicians, and others claim the world is progressing, getting better all the time. We may be advancing technologically as time goes by, yet more and more I see a disturbing trend where people are capable of thinking only of themselves. I, for one, am willing to come to a complete stop at the stop signs, use my turn signals, and help others whenever possible. Although I am categorized in a generation where people seem to care only about themselves, I hope to never become such an individual. The most meaningful thing I’ve done in the past year was to play piano at the retirement home where my grandmother resides. I bowed at the end of my performance with a feeling more rewarding than I had ever experienced before in my life. These people were so appreciative of my music and my willingness to perform for them that I felt I was living through a sensation which no man-made substance or self-served situation could ever recreate. I am already organizing two more performances similar to my solo performance through my high school’s National Honor Society. We will hopefully include vocalists and other instrumentalists in addition to myself on the piano. It is my desire that these other performers can also experience the rewarding sensation at the completion of such a performance. When I go to college, I have every intention of continuing my involvement with these retirement homes and I hope I can bring joy to every single person I possibly can.

George Will was right about many people being self-absorbed. I would like to think that his use of “everyone” is a bit strong, and there are still some people out there like myself who gain more joy from helping others than helping themselves.