Journal Three By Max

In my opinion, being eccentric means being able to deviate from the norms of society in order to express individuality. The people that are the most eccentric are ones who choose not to follow paths of least resistance, even when others discourage them or tell them that they aren't acting normally. I feel that most individuals, myself included, will claim that they support eccentricity. On the other hand, I feel that in society the majority response to eccentrics is to write them off that they are weird or behaving the wrong way. Although this is our natural response, I feel that when eccentricity promotes creativity and positive thinking, it should be and sometimes is celebrated. Eccentrics have always been the fighters for freedom of artistic expression.

I do however, feel that the eccentricity can be problematic. When people witness eccentric behavior it is more likely that it will leave a much stronger impression than that of normal everyday behavior. Especially in the case of eccentric celebrities, this may result in some people wanting to follow their behavior. The first problem that arises if this eccentric person is promoting a negative behavior. This could cause many impressionable people to follow a bad example. The other problem that I see is when people others want to behave exactly like an eccentric person they've been exposed to. In the case of a celebrity, if all of their fans begin behaving in the same way, then the individuality that comes from that eccentricity is no longer there. I feel that both of these outcomes are problematic and as a result harmful to the eccentrics who are promoting creativity of the individual.

The most interesting discovery I found in my readings so far has been about the Greensboro sit-ins. While reading Geneva Tisdale's profile, I was curious about the sit-ins the took place at her job. I felt while reading that she focused much more on her job than on the events that took place. So my question was simply, "What happened at the Greensboro sit-ins and why were they important". In my research I discovered that they were one of the central events that helped start the Civil Rights movement. In her profile Geneva describes 4 boys that came into her restaurant and asked to be served. In my research I made that the connection that those were Ezell Blair Jr., David Richmond, Franklin McCain and Joseph McNeil, the four college students that staged first ever sit-in in Greensboro. http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/the-greensboro-sit-in

A picture of a sit-in protest.