Snowflake Avalanche

"No snowflake in an avalanche ever feels responsible" -Voltaire

What avalanche is your snowflake in?

I'm part of several avalanches.
I'm part of the technological "avalanche."
We are the first generation to grow up on the internet. The way we learn, develop, and grow in the next few years is part of what will determine how internet and technology is perceived.
I'm also part of the avalanche that destroys gender and gay inequalities. Even though I'm not personally involved in changing anything, I'm a firm believer of those rights. When a movement has enough followers, sometimes that's all it takes to make it happen. This is the age where same-sex marriage is being slowly legalized across some countries. It's also the age where people start realizing that women are being portrayed and treated unequally to men, in ways other than jobs and roles. Being a person who believes in these movements, I am part of the avalanche.

Neutral

Being neutral is when you're impartial, and when you neither oppose or support a situation. The situations in which I remain to stay neutral is when I don't know enough about the topic or situation being brought up. Even if I do know about it I still form an opinion on it but might not voice it because it won't be a strong issue for me. Also, if arguing the issue will cause more problems than the situation actually causes, then I chose to remain silent. There are many issues concerning various human equality rights that I feel very strongly about. If any of those topics are brought up, then I can't really help myself but voice my views because I feel very strongly and defensive about them. Examples would be my defense on feminism or gay rights.

War and Violence

Why do wars begin?
Wars usually start for the same selfish reasons; nations benefiting from the other country's loss. It's either about oil, food, money, military, or any types of resources. If a nation sees a benefit in fighting with others or involving themselves in other wars, they jump on the opportunity.

Are they always justified?
There's a difference between wars being "justified" and justified. Nations always claim that the next war will help advance their nation, or that they're doing it in the name of God. These excuses are usually excuses for nations to gain power and money. However, I've never really heard of a war that was fairly justified, and I doubt I ever will.

Is violence the answer to getting what you want?
Technically, wars end up getting their nations what they were after. Whether it's a just and right reason is another question entirely. Personally, I believe there are ways of compromise, without including violence, for nations to settle their disputes. However, I think it'll be a long time before that happens.

Vincent Van Gogh and the IB Learner Profile

Vincent Van Gogh is known today to be one of the most famous painters of the 19th century. He's known for his magnificent paintings and his unstable mental health. One of his main traits would be his inquiry. He's a great inquirer due to the fact that he taught himself how to paint. Inquirers show independence in learning anc it shows in Van Gogh when he began moving around in 1880, teaching himself different painting and drawing techniques. 

Another trait Van Gogh possessed was being a risk-taker when it came to his work. He was never famous in his lifetime and never managed to make it as an artist. In his lifetime, he only sold one of his paintings. The people were never fond of his style of painting. He was a risk-taker because of the way he never changed his style for others, defending his style and beliefs. Even when his works weren't received well, he was courageous enough to keep pursuing his style and dream of being an artist.

In addition, Vincent Van Gogh was reflective. You can see how he was reflective towards his paintings and the techniques used. Around 1886, he was influenced greatly by Impressionism, where his style became lighter and brighter. By changing styles, you can see how Van Gogh reflected on his old works and tried improving and changing his techniques.

Though Van Gogh possessed many traits, he also lacked some. One example is balance. He was a very mentally unstable man. He focused a lot on his work and not so much on his emotional wellbeing. He spent a lot of his time in a out of psychiatric hospitals. He also quarreled with his friends, and threatened his friend, Gauguin, because of his instability and lack of understanding of the importance of balance between intellectual, physical, and emotional health. Another trait he lacked was being a communicator. He never worked well with people, Gauguin being an example. In 1888, Van Gogh got into a fight with him and threatened him with a razor. Later, he felt remorseful and cut a part of his own ear off. This shows his lack of communication skills towards others.

However, even though he had a troubled life, he still became one of the most famous artists today, even though he never knew it.