A Problem of Econs...

Since I have an Advanced English Writing paper tmr, I figured this’ll be a good time to do some “warm-up”, and prevent the inevitable writers’ block that will ensue when I sit for the paper…

School’s been a torture, not least because I’m revisiting one of my most unhappy subjects – Econs.

For someone who loves to think that I am more inclined towards social sciences rather than hard sciences, Econs remains one of many subjects that baffles me. (Some other topics that baffles me include poetry, calculus, the Chinese language, women… ect)

Its interesting, therefore, that I should also have just finished watching a Global Leadership Summit session, where they interviewed Richard Curtis. He’s a pretty big-shot scriptwriter in Hollywood, who’s churned out its like Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill (one of my all-time favorites), and Love Actually. He started sharing some of the principles that governed his working process, and then moved on to his passion – eradicating world poverty.

Its hard to remain unmoved when you hear him share. It hit me even harder when Bill Hybels wrapped up the session by addressing the conference, saying that it was a profoundly DISTURBING experience interviewing Richard Curtis. Here was a man who has difficulty figuring out his faith, yet doing a hundred times more than Bill himself, serving a cause that our Lord championed when He was here on earth. Not only that, but in the interview Richard Curtis was cheering the church on, exhorting it to do more.

“Breaking your heart with the things that breaks God’s heart” was always a prayer I held close to my heart. When I was in JC, I remember very often asking God to keep me from turning into an adult who is able to see the things that breaks God’s heart, and be dispassionate about it. I want to still feel as emotional and affected by these things, in the hope that it will spur me to action, instead of hardening my heart.

So why should it be that listening to Richard Curtis is interesting in light of my econs? Well, I personally believe that a proper understanding of how the world works is infinitely helpful in trying to rid the world of social injustice. Put it another way – my understanding of Goethe and Milton is a lot further removed from being useful towards the cause.

But it remains one of my biggest mental blocks, overcoming econs. Everytime I get stuck at a concept, my failure to nail it previously comes back to haunt me.

And so here I stand, once more, back where I began. I guess I have to cross this hurdle no matter how much I try to duck. Maybe telling myself that it can be useful to me next time will motivate me further to try harder.