Authority: When we are stuck we look beyond ourselves. Authority is the common topic that forces us to see our limitations and seek help from those who have come before. “The greater intellect one has, the more originality one finds in men. Ordinary persons find no difference between men.” Blaise Pascal. When faced with a […]
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Relationship : Look to the future! At least that is how I imagine this particular common topic. We learn in writing class that relationship is asking questions like “what comes before” and “what comes after”, which at first glance does not seem to be about relationship at all. A relationship etymologically speaking is a connection.
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Circumstance : Learning to look around us and contemplate and understand our surroundings is something that comes with maturity. While a toddler may be completely nonchalant by the road traffic, it isn’t because he’s brave, but because he is unaware. Naivete is not bravery. As our toddler starts to pay attention to the world outside
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Comparison: Comparison sometimes comes before definition, but we are exploring it second. While I admit that we tend to compare things before we truly understand what they are, I also acknowledge that the only way to compare things thoroughly is to first define them. We compare things instinctively, which is why you won’t be shocked to
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In the Lost Tools of Writing we learn about the five common topics. These topics are 5 categorical questions that we ask in order to invent something. Asking questions is essential for thinking. I tell my children that there is a world of difference between the man who enters a room saying, “this is nice”
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