Joseph - Week 4: I am not throwing away my shot
I consider AP US history the hardest class to study for because of the numerous names and dates that need to be remembered. So I decided the best way to study for an APUSH Unit 3 test is to watch Hamilton (Although I have watched it so many times already). Hamilton is relevant to the time period, but more importantly Hamilton is a crazy good Musical and it is close to the top of my list for the best broadway shows.(Secret theater kid speaking). I like it because it is a modern tragedy, because of Hamilton’s tragic death duel and its crafted modern hip-hop and R&B genre songs.
“Pardon me. Are you Aaron Burr, Sir?”, “Rise up!”, “In New York, you can be a new man” and “I’m helpless” are all some of the well known lines in the musical, but the most important and influential song to me in this musical is “I am not throwing away my Shot”.
It kind of evolved into my motto. For Hamilton, it is a sentence of encouragement; as he dreams to achieve more as a founding father even as an orphan and the son of a bastard from a small island in the Caribbean. It's a declaration that he made to seek every opportunity whether it is given or not given to him.
The most impactful part of this line for me is his declaration for not giving up on any opportunity. It means asking a question that might sometimes seem embarrassing when looking back on it, and trying something new without hesitation. I’m a super hesitant person for basically everything in life and this is the sentence that I use to counter my hesitation; how could you be a hundred percent sure that you can’t accomplish something, if you have not attempted it a single time?
In addition,this line serves as a great callback in the end of the musical; when Hamilton physically throws away his shot at the end in his duel with Aaron Burr. It symbolizes integrity and kindness.
Kindness is something that I value in my life, I have always believed in karma and good things happen to good people. Being kind is always a solution in tricky situations. One example that I am using for this is a four-way stop intersection. (Sorry, I just got my permit!) When four cars arrive at an intersection at the same time and everyone decides to go straight; there are no actual traffic laws limiting who goes first. If everyone decides to put themselves first and decides to go first, the intersection will fall into a deadlock and everyone is stuck. However, if everyone decides to use their kindness and wave to others to pass first, at least every car would pass the intersection safely.
That is why a line from Hamilton is my motto.
(I did amazing on my Apush Unit 3 test, so thank you Lin-Manuel Miranda!)
Credits: Me using a meme website
Lyrics credit
Hello Joseph. I really enjoyed reading your blog. I totally agree that APUSH is one of the hardest classes that I have taken. The names and the number of things you need to memorize. I like how you use embedded quotes and how you relate it to your identity. Personally I really admire how you utilized Hamilton's quote as your motto. For me personally, that would be David Goggins because I find his philosophy interesting. The fact that you used a line from Hamilton as your motto shows your intellectual curiosity. I also agree with his famous quote of “I am not throwing away my shot”. How can you sleep at night if you didn't give it your all? I think that anyone can achieve something realistic if they put their mind into it. Nowadays, many people scroll and play video games and barely spend any time on achieving what they really want. It’s so easy to become the best because if you are able to break free from the trap of scrolling through tik tok or playing Fortnite, you are above other people who can’t. I also think that Kindness and Karma is a very important part of life. I agree with your example about cars that go through intersections because it relies on a system of kindness. The reason why I believe in Karma is important because it just doesn't feel right for you to be kind and not have it reciprocated back to you. Overall I think you are a very kind and creative person. Thanks for all you do.
ReplyDeleteHey, Joseph, first off: your meme has me dying laughing. Trust me, I think half of us also complete these blogs at 9:59 PM. It's a bad habit but sadly true. As for your blog itself, I cannot comment on how hard APUSH has been personally, not being in it, but I feel that history itself can be very annoying and difficult if you don't have much interest in it. Still, I encourage you to persevere; it always gets better. As for your larger message of taking opportunity, I agree. There is no harm in going outside of your comfort zone, asking uncomfortable questions or taking new chances. Long has it been my contention that people should set out to do what they want, even at a small cost, because without any risk, there is no reward. By going outside of our shells, we can find new opportunities never thought about and overall benefit in so many different ways. However, that only starts if we start, which is become increasingly difficult. As Sai pointed out, doomscrolling and avoidance is on the rise, and we must combat the urge if we want to achieve something. Your message is extremely valuable, and I am glad you took the time to write this humorous but overall important blog post this week. Good evening.
ReplyDeleteHi Joseph!! I found everything about you blog to be super relatable. Firstly, I also study for tests with high fantasy books and binge watching shows (it is a very essential step, trust the process). Secondly, I don't watch many musicals but I did watch EPIC: The Musical and the line "I know that life and fate are scary but I wanna be legendary" stuck with me a lot like your quote did to you. As a very shy person myself, I admire how you use the quote to get courage, it is hard sometimes and it does feel like doing literally anything else would be much better but doing it anyway matters. Congrats on getting a permit! excuse me as I add Hamilton to my watch list. Have an amazing day!
ReplyDeleteAs a wannabe theater kid myself, I think that your pocket theater kid status is laudable. In particular, Hamilton is a great musical, and I think that your interpretation of it is intriguing. “Not throwing away my shot” is a practice that I can agree with, and I admire your willingness to stick by it and support it in a blog. Determination is a power that can get one far; it is like the gas that powers a car. Thank you for aiming your shot and firing it to us in this blog.
ReplyDeleteI also like that you noted Hamilton throwing away his shot at the end of the musical. It asks the question, “when should I throw away my shot?” or, in other words, “when shouldn’t I take a certain opportunity?” Being willing to consider that eventuality is extremely important, as things that we can do are not necessarily things that we should do, which is a painful lesson that I have had to learn.
Before I close, I would like to ask what your other favorite musicals are. Maybe we share some! Though I’ll admit that I wrote this comment like I was running out of time, I’d like to discuss it with you in person.
Hi Joseph! This was a really interesting post. I’ve always wanted to watch Hamilton, but every time I watch it I barely understand anything because I don’t know any of the historical contexts. I guess we are opposites, you watch Hamilton to prepare for APUSH, but I want to watch Hamilton after APUSH so I understand everything. I have listened to some of the songs in the musical, and I also like the line “I am not throwing away my shot”. I like that you related this motto to your knowledge of driving. It’s interesting how easily traffic could happen without kindness. I don’t really believe in karma, I think things happen because they just happen. I think that you should still be a good person without expecting anything in return. I think that the world would be a better place if everyone was kinder to one another. I think your motto is very good. When you have an opportunity, you should act on it without hesitation. I also love your other sentence, “how could you be a hundred percent sure that you can’t accomplish something, if you have not attempted it a single time?” Most people pause before approaching an opportunity, because they believe they cannot accomplish it. This is a really good motivational sentence that I will remember. This was a really interesting read. Good job on your good score on your APUSH unit test!
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