[Amber H.]

Our country suffers from a terrible plague called AEI disease (short for arrogance, entitlement, and ignorance).
This terrible illness leads to a chronic condition of ingratitude and “follow the crowd” mentality. It is a horrible malady that fogs the brain and shrinks the spirit.

A possible cure: at least a week in a third world country for an attitude adjustment.
I was in Russia, on a concert tour, during the last days of the Soviet Union (it’s armament may have made it a world power, but the people lived in third world conditions). Even now, twelve years later, the shock of it still affects me.

Unfortunately, sending everyone on overseas tours is simply not feasible.

Another possible cure (and a bit more feasible): get more kids involved in FIRST. Get more of our youth, our future, involved in and environment where they are encouraged to think for themselves (as evidenced by the posts I’ve seen), and become better problem solvers.
I was fortunate enough to participate in a program similar in application to FIRST. But, instead of robots, it encompassed the entire High School curriculum. We, the students, were required to design our own course of study (within certain parameters), and follow through with it. I became a heck of a lot less clueless that semester. I faced the world feeling less arrogant, less entitled, and less ignorant.

We must seek out rays of hope such as FIRST.
We must support and encourage them.