Adversity Introduces a Man to Himself
What exactly does this quote by Albert Einstein me? Adversity means a setback, a tribulation, hardship, a misfortune, or trouble. To introduce means to bring forth, to reveal, or to make known. “Man to himself” refers to one’s own identity. Therefore, the meaning of this quote is that when a person encounters a difficult moment in life, the difficulty or hardship reveals to him who he or she is. In other words, when we have difficulties or setbacks or challenges in life – especially major ones, the way we handle them speak a lot about our true self. Difficult situations reveal our true character, our weaknesses, and our strengths. When our lives are free from trouble, we lack the opportunity to be exposed to our inner strengths. But when we encounter stumbling blocks, we get to know our strengths and what we are capable of.
When I got admitted to FIT, I looked forward to a fulfilling academic journey ahead. One thing that I never expected was that I would encounter racial profiling in an institution like this. One of my friends – I will call him XYZ – is black, and I am white. Personally, I do not approve of racial discrimination in any sphere of society because I believe it is immoral. I believe that regardless of our races, we are all equal, and we should treat each other with respect. I get along very well with people from other races, although I am white. I am the kind of person who values diversity and believes that all people are special and unique in a special way.
During the first month of the semester, my friend XYZ and I were having lunch at one of the campus cafeterias. It so happened that on that fateful day, XYZ was the only black student in the cafeteria; the rest were whites. We were enjoying our lunch when the campus police came to our table and asked XYZ to accompany them to the security office. Surprised by the incident, XYZ demanded to know why he was being asked to the security office, but the campus police refused to disclose any details. Judging from their seriousness and their facial expression, I knew that this was a matter of racial profiling. Infuriated by their behavior, something clicked in me, and I also asked to know why my friend was being asked away. The officers asked me to stay out of the matter because it did not involve me.
I became so mad that I stood between the police and my friend and demanded to know why they were asking him to the security offices. In no time, many other students had gathered around to witness the incident. I don’t know what came over me, but I found myself asking the police if they were profiling my friend because he is black. They then pointed in the direction of a lady who was at a distance from where we were seated and told us that she had called the security office that there was someone in the students’ cafeteria that seemed out of place. When I asked the officers if the lady had explained to them why XYZ seemed out of place, they went mute, turned around, and left the scene shamefully.
Before I knew, everybody around me was clapping, and I found myself giving a speech: “That lady over there calls the security office to report that someone looks out of place in the students’ cafeteria. Why? Because he is black and we are white? Are we not all students here? Do black students not pay the tuition fee? Do they not pay meals in the cafeterias? Whether white, black, yellow, or green, we are all students, and nothing justifies the discrimination of others on the basis of their skin color.” Later on, the two campus police officers were fired, and the student who reported my friend was expelled from school. This was a very defining moment in my life because, in the days that followed, the perception of black students changed, and I was treated like a hero.
Works Cited
Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. 2006.