START SOMETHING THAT MATTERS Post #2

1/28/2013

Keep It Simple

Please respond to the following prompts in 75 to 100 words.

1. Why is simplicity so hard to achieve? What's the difference between achieving simplicity and merely being simplistic?

2. Take a story you know well, such as a fairy tale or a popular movie, and simplify the plot to a few sentences while still retaining what makes it interesting.

(Initial post due: Thursday, 1/31. Response to a classmate is due Sunday at midnight.)

Art Medina Period 6

1/28/2013 08:46:10 am

Simplicity is so difficult to achieve because individuals nowadays over think situations. They think that being simple will not work out and instead fathom of some complex solution to the problem. The problems with our generation is the fact that teenagers think too much about the situation and instead end up thinking irrationally. Achieving simplicity means that the individual worked hard to come up with something simple and had to truly dedicate time since he normally does not think that way. Being simplistic is a characteristic that an individual already attains and cannot be changed about them.

In the book Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James, Anastasia Pan finds her way into the life of a young entrepreneur by the name of Christian Grey. They both fall drastically in love with one another but little do they know that in reality both of their lifestyles will turn out to be dramatically different. Anastasia eventually figures out that Christian isn't like your average typical guy. He likes women who are submissive and do as we pleases because Christian does not want a romantic relationship; He wants a pure sexual one. Anastasia later finds out that she was head over heels for the Mr.Grey and realizes that no matter how much she loves him, they will never truly be compatible.

Jason Tran Period 1

1/28/2013 11:14:08 am

Your idea of simplicity makes so much sense. With the every changing society, we tend to think more and more about simple situations and we over complicate them ourselves, and this changes how we look at things.
I never read the book Fifty shades of Grey, but the way you explained the story it's very clear what happens.

Tracy O., Period 2

1/28/2013 12:31:28 pm

I agree with the way you described simplicity and the differences between achieving simplicity and being simplistic. Achieving simplicity can be a goal to be reached, while being simplistic can be a characteristic that an individual has or is born with.

Qi Hong C Period6

1/30/2013 06:02:30 am

i agree with what you said. i think the main reason for people to achieve simplicity is because of the pressure from the society. nowadays too many competitions between people, children received many pressure from their parents. so they have to think in a hard way and i think that's why they can not receive simplicity.

Evy Z, Per 6

1/30/2013 10:26:06 am

I completely agree on your explanation of simplicity and achieving it. Many of us overdo or over think things that are just plain and simple. The fact is most of us believe that you should present yourself as unique in order to succeed in the future. It is also our mind set we all want to out shine people and feel special.

Ryan L., Period 1

1/31/2013 01:58:47 pm

I agree with your idea of simplicity. It makes a lot of sense with the change of society, people think a lot about simple situations and we make more complicated situations. A lot of children are pressured by their parents and the pressure gets to them and they can't reach simplicity sometimes.

Jiaxin(Janet) W., Period 1

2/3/2013 01:22:45 pm

I agree with your ideas on simplicity. The fact that individuals nowadays over think the situations really makes simplicity harder to achieve. In addition, our society creates an “environment” that forces people to think beyond the box. This sometimes creates problems when people have not built up their thinking based on the simplest thing first.

Evy Z, Per.6

1/28/2013 09:43:48 am

Simplicity is hard to achieve because no one believes the most simple things would get them anywhere. We all create situations where you make it harder than it is. I believe that its our mind set that cripples us from simplicity. You want to stand out when it comes to something. Many people tend to over think about simple situations. Achieving simplicity would be like Blake Mycoskie for example, he created a simple shoe with just an idea. Being simplistic is just how some people are its their natural trait.

In Cinderella a girl with an horrible family meets her prince charming. For one night she sneaks out to go to the ball. While at the ball she meets a prince and dances with him until it strikes midnight. At midnight she will be back into her rags. Cinderella leaves in a rush and one of his slippers falls off. The prince chases her then stumbles upon it. In the end the prince finds the girl that fits the glass slipper as we all know the ending.

Stephanie U. P.1

1/28/2013 11:26:30 am

What you said is true, people nowadays try too hard to be unique. Everyone is trying to see what is on the outside of the box, that's why when individuals like Blake revert back to simplistic ways, it becomes popular.

Kimble Y, Period 1

1/28/2013 01:15:34 pm

I liked the idea from Blake Mycoskie a lot. He really cared about the children who need their shoes. He is very special to the children. The children will want to thank him. I know that he is making a donation.

Leon Ye Period 1

1/29/2013 08:02:41 am

I agree with how you described simplicity. Everyone always makes the simple things more complicated than it already has to be. Doing the simple things can bring you along way. People just need to not make everything so complicated.

Erin T., Period 2

1/31/2013 01:55:45 am

This is completely true. People are always trying to complicate things and be unique. Especially as seniors, we do not believe that simple things will get us anywhere. We are all trying to be the best of the best as we try to stand out to colleges. We also complicate things as we try to shape our image in a high school society because it seems that your outer image is crucial.

Joanne W., Period 6

1/31/2013 02:08:16 pm

I totally agree with your explanation of simplicity and how you used Blake Mycoskie as an example of it. I think people always over think situations that has many easy solutions to the problems. Simplicity means the quality or condition of being easy to understand or do, but it seems really hard for people to think like that, and it takes time and effort to achieve these things.

Cynthia Hua, Period 1

2/1/2013 05:53:05 am

I agree with you, people do make things to be more complicated than it really is. If they just look at the problem from a different perspective than maybe they would be able to solve their problems. I usually make things harder than it seems, but after looking at it from a different angle, things start making sense, and I start understanding and finding different ways to address the situation I am in.

Jason Tran P.1

1/28/2013 11:05:30 am

2) There is a town known as Whoville. The people take a lot of time to celebrate Christmas, but there lives another person in the mountains away from the town. His name is Grinch, and he hates Christmas. It is said that his heart is so small. And one day he decides to "steal" Christmas. He dressed up as Santa Claus and stole everyone's presents. The funny thing was, after he took everyone's presents the people at Whoville didn't care. And this opened the Grinch's heart and it grew 10 times larger. He returned the presents and celebrated Christmas with these people.

Jason Tran P1

1/28/2013 11:11:36 am

1) Simplicity is hard to achieve because no one has an idea of how simple simplicity is. Achieving simplicity is something that gets the point across with the small amount of effort, yet still managing the whole concept. While being simplistic is something that you set yourself in doing unconsciously, you don't have to try as hard. The big difference between the two is achieving something is a lot harder than being something. For example, achieving a medal is different than just being handed a medal.

Stephanie Ugalde

1/28/2013 11:20:09 am

Simplicity is difficult to accomplish because people try too hard to be the greatest. Sometimes thinking out of the box is a good way to reach your goal. Other times being simplistic is the best way to get your point across. To me, being simplistic or reaching simplicity means to be happy with just the necessities.

In the movie The Little Mermaid, King Triton's teenage daughter Ariel sets off to discover the new "human" world. To do so, she goes behind her father's back. Ariel meets with a sea witch, Ursela who exchanges human legs for Ariel's voice. When Ariel washes up on the shore, she meets Eric, the love of her life. Eric helps Ariel get her voice back by destroying Ursela. King Triton then realizes that Eric truely loves his daughter and changes Ariel from a mermaid to human.

Stephanie U. P.1

1/28/2013 11:22:38 am

Janssen F., p.1

1/29/2013 10:46:20 am

I like how you said the idea of simplicity is being happy with just the necessities. I agree with it because what if one day every luxury we had was taken away? CAN we live life without our cellphones, our Xboxes, our TVs, our Ipods? I also feel that we take a lot of things for granted and not really appreciate the life we have. How often do we even think about other people's lives and how hard their lives might be?

Art Medina Period 1

2/3/2013 04:04:53 am

The way you state how individuals try very hard to be great is very understandable and i can connect that concept to people that i know in high school. I also agree that being simple means achieving happiness and success without materialistic items and instead only focusing on our true necessities. I have never seen the movie The Little Mermaid, but you explained the plot in a very concise manner and it was easy for me to understand it. I feel like i no longer have to watch the movie due to how well your summary was.

Derek Ing

2/3/2013 03:33:03 pm

I agree, i like your format of you characterized the difference. I also like the example you gave about the Little Mermaid. I do believe that being simplistic or reaching simplicity means to be happy with just necessities. I like your understanding and definition of the word.

Tracy O., Period 2

1/28/2013 12:26:48 pm

1. Simplicity is hard to achieve because people may over think, or over compensate something they try to do. The differences between achieving simplicity and being simplistic can be after hard work and difficulty you will reach your goal and your life would be seen simple and easy to live. Being simplistic can mean that you live a life trying to avoid or ignore complex problems you are content where you are and have no desire to move forward or change something for the better.

2.In Toy Story, A boy named Andy loves to play with his toys, especially his doll named "Woody". But, when Andy is not with them, they come to life. Woody and the other toys must worry about Andy's family moving, and what Andy is going to get at his birthday party. Woody finds out that Andy's mother gave him an action figure known as Buzz Lightyear, and quickly becomes Andy's new favorite toy. Woody, who is now consumed with jealousy, tries to get rid of Buzz. Then, both Woody and Buzz are now lost. They must find a way to get back to Andy before he moves without them. They become best friends and get back just in time to move with the rest of the family.

Garrett P. Period 1

1/28/2013 12:44:09 pm

Achieving simplicity has a lot to do with your lifestyle. What you wrote about just being simplistic is very accurate. Many people try to be simple because they are lazy and don't want to find a solution to their problem. Achieving simplicity is very different thatjust being simplistic about something.

Tara K., Per. 6

1/29/2013 12:33:05 pm

Your comment about simplicity is especially resonating. Peple do tend to overthink things too much. Maybe it's because we are bought up in a society that values complication over simplicity. Sometimes we fail to see obvious, easy solutions to problems and look for more complicated ones. It's a kind of a mental fixation.

Yang Y., Per 2

1/30/2013 11:57:51 am

Simplicity is hard to achieve nowadays, even with your friends. Little words and people pass it around would make it so complicated that it makes everything difficult. Achieving simplicity is hard, but with time you could do it, just think as little as possible

Garrett P., Period 1

1/28/2013 12:39:39 pm

Simplicity is hard to achieve because people tend to overthink things in many situations. In today's society, people are so concerned with their status and their self-image that they try to be flashy or elaborate. Life is a big psychological game. More times than not, the simplest solution will get the job done more effectively. People assume that thinking out of the box and being creative is always the best way. Achieving simplicity is not only being simplistic, but to live life that way. It is approaching everyday situations and keeping it simple.

In "The Lion King," a young lion named Simba is framed by his jealous uncle Scar over his father's death. Simba flees the pridelands and lives as an outcast with a warthog and a meerkat,living the "Hakuna Matata, no worries," lifestyle. Simba finds a calling and returns to the pridelands. With the help of his new friends and his family, he defeats Scar and takes his rightful place as king.

Jackie T. Per 2

1/28/2013 02:38:15 pm

I completely agree with you when you say that people are trying too hard. Sometimes the best solutions to problems is something simple. In today's society, nothing is ever simple anymore. Scientists have manipulated almost everything and turned it into something complicated; from food to medicine. Corn isn't just corn anymore just so that it can be made cheaper to consumers.

Jenny Yik Period 2

1/30/2013 01:25:07 am

This is true because people nowadays try to go all out with everything they do. They think that the more is better but that does not always apply. This brings me to an example about how when people are going to an interview, the interviewee is better off dressing in a simple attire rather than a flashy outfit.

Kristin W., per. 1

1/30/2013 07:15:39 am

I definitely agree with you. People these days tend to over think every situation. People try too hard to stand out or get noticed. They make their own lives more complicated.

Adam K., Period 2

2/3/2013 12:54:56 pm

I agree with what you say about people being overly concerned about their self-image in front of others. I feel that it gets to the point where people start to lose touch with their roots and they forget about the things in life that made them who they were in the first place. People just try too hard these days to be something that they're not.

Kimble Y, Period 1

1/28/2013 01:08:44 pm

1. Simplicity is the burden which a thing puts on someone trying to explain or understand it. It may be used in a negative connotation to denote a deficit or insufficiency of nuance or complexity of a thing. Maybe it's relieving the frustration of disorganized kids and teens. When you achieve simplicity you will know that it is as obvious and refreshing, as it was difficult to attain.
2. In Peter Pan, the "Lost Boys" spend most of their time living adventures that involve pirates and fairies. They do sometimes meet ordinary children from the outside world. Peter sometimes liked to fly and he discovered in Kensington the Mary Darling house. He would fly there in the evening and sit in an open window so that he could listen to Mrs. Darling tell bedtime stories to her children. He was seen one night by Mrs. Darling and while fleeing his shadow fell off.

Yu, Chi Ying Period 1

1/28/2013 01:52:38 pm

1. Why is simplicity so hard to achieve? What's the difference between achieving simplicity and merely being simplistic?

Simplicity is hard to achieve, because people are constantly coming up with innovation, which can only succeed if it stands out and beats the tradition and previous inventions. This continuation of piling up of ideas make the world over complicated and unnecessary. One is trying to obtain simplicity, and the other is just
simply being in a sense. They are in fact the same thing
because being able to be simple is achieving simplicity.

2. Take a story you know well, such as a fairy tale or a popular movie, and simplify the plot to a few sentences while still retaining what makes it interesting.

In Three Little Pigs, oldest brother is most hard working and persistent, and youngest most lazy. They each decide to separate and build them own homes.The oldest built his home with bricks, slowly stacking and gluing cement. The middle build his home with wood, and the youngest just hastily stacked hays. When the bad wolf came, it destroyed the houses of the younger two, but could not damage the brick house. Instead, he fell in the fireplace and died.

Jackie T. Per 2.

1/28/2013 02:34:56 pm

In today’s society, simplicity is almost impossible to achieve because humans managed to take the most simplest of things (such as farming) and turned it into something complicated. I mean now there isn’t even just regular corn, everything has been genetically modified to meet consumer needs. Achieving simplicity is something more along the lines of unity where as being simplistic there is a sense of lacking. It’s simple because it lacks something that would make it whole.

In The Little Mermaid, King Triton’s youngest daughter, Ariel, yearns to be a part of the human world. After falling in love with a human prince, Ariel is willing to do whatever it takes to be with him, including giving up her voice to gain a pair of legs. After trying to get Prince Eric to realize who she really is, Ursula the Sea Witch has other plans, but is eventually thwarted when Eric realized his love for Ariel proving that true love conquers all.

Joe Arguijo Period 2

1/29/2013 11:59:14 am

I agree with you on the idea that simplicity is "almost" impossible to achieve. We just cant expect everyone in the whole world to understand the exact mindset and ideas we hold. Every person, regardless of who they are, is unique in their own way, so I believe it is a task itself to obtain simplicity for many to understand.

Maggie W. Period 2

2/1/2013 01:44:25 pm

I sort of agree with you, Jackie, however, there are some things that we, as humans, try to make in order to make HOW we do the action simple. For example, in farming, we used to cut the grass with blades and now we have machines to cut it faster and with little to no effect in our part. But the machine is not very simplistic in itself.

Gloria M., Period 2

2/4/2013 09:57:22 am

I agree, Society has become so complex that there is no room for simplicity. We rely to much on phones and electronic appliances that we become too lazy to think. Everyone needs the newest and latest thing and simply being simplistic labels us as old, unfashionable, and out-of-date.

Leon Ye Period 1

1/29/2013 07:57:04 am

Simplicity is so hard to achieve because people just won't believe in doing simple things. Everyone usually take the simplest thing and manage to turn in to the hardest and most complicated thing. Many people always overthink things so everything just get complicated and hard to do. If people just did simple things, it would just be alot easiler for them.

In Ice age 3, Manny get seperated from his family because of the Continental Drift. He has to try and get back to them as soon as possible. On his way back Manny and his friends encounter pirates that take over their ship. Manny did everything he could to beat the pirate and get back to his family. After he beats the pirates, he takes their ship and get back to him family.

Johanna F, Per: 1

1/30/2013 12:15:57 am

What you said is true. People will take the most simplest things and make it into the hardest situations. We all take the smallest little problems and we over think too much. Life may or may not be simple but it all depends on how you handle it.

Leon Ye Period 1

1/30/2013 11:48:08 am

Ice age 4*

Bryan Luong P.6

2/1/2013 12:50:33 pm

I agree with you that people just won't believe in doing simple things. People should try to simplify their lives and not over think things. I also agree that it would be a lot easier for them to do this.

Jennifer P., Period 1

2/2/2013 10:34:49 am

Our minds are programmed to analyze every situation. We sometimes tend to over analyze causing the simplest problem to become more complicated than it really is.

Janssen F., p. 1

1/29/2013 10:38:18 am

1. Simplicity is hard to achieve nowadays because as a society, we’ve somehow made difficult or confusing things as impressive things. An example might be a dance move. The more complex a move is, the “BETTER” it is. However I learned that that isn’t always the case. You can have a SIMPLE move and execute it with such precision that it actually impresses people. The difference between achieving simplicity would be being happily content in simple things, living a simple life. Being simplistic is going overboard with simplicity, or too much simplicity.
2. There were three little pigs. One built a house made of hay. Another with wood, and the other built his house with bricks. The wolf wanted to eat the pigs and so he tried to blow their houses down. He first went to the house made of hay. He blew and the house fell down, and the pig ran off to the other pig with a wooden house to avoid being eaten. The wolf came to that house and made the house fall down as well and then the pigs went to the pig whose house was made of bricks and hid there. The wolf tried to destroy the house made of bricks but he didn't succeed. The three little pigs then jumped for joy as they saw the wolf go away defeated. The End

Marisa L. Period 6

1/29/2013 01:48:35 pm

I agree with Janssen when she says that society is about making things better and always more impressive. I also agree with her when she says that sometimes simplicity is better than anything complicated. Society keeps going and moves by so fast that sometimes we forget to stop, be still, and appreciate the simple and little things in life.

Tiffany L., Period 2

1/30/2013 04:05:02 pm

I agree with everything you stated above, Janssen. People tend to think that complexity is the way to go, but many fail to realize how beautiful simplicity is. I also liked how you distinguished the difference between achieving simplicity and merely being simplistic

Joe Arguijo

1/29/2013 11:50:33 am

The world has become to complex for one person to be understood amongst all of mankind. In society itself, we have grown accustomed to creating our own interpretations of what suits us as productive members. No matter how simple our ideas or tasks are, there will always be someone who does not quit understand the full potential of your simplicity. Therefore, the main difference between simplicity and being simplistic is that one requires a conscious for another, while the other does not.

A popular movie that I know well, would be Saving Private Ryan. Although the movie itself is based on one era and situation, the scenes are rather graphic and depict strong historical events. It starts of with a platoon of soldiers who endured the horrific event of D-Day and scrimmage through treacherous pathways to find one person. The Private soldier who they must save is the last of his brothers, therefore the platoon goes through great suffering and pain just to find this young man and bring him home. They all risked their lives to preserve the life of a man that would form a family back in the country they fought for.

Tara K., Per. 6

1/29/2013 12:29:49 pm

1. Simplicity is hard to achieve since it is easy to use complicated jargon or do complicated things. To simplify things requires deep thought since you have to break down those difficult things down. In addition, simplicity is viewed by some people as being unsophisticated. Being simplistic is different since it requires little to no effort to be simplistic. It is basically common sense and/or basic reasoning without concrete evidence.

2. The novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is basically about Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy falling in love after their poor first impressions of each other. Darcy had too much pride; since he was rich and titled, he acted rather haughty. Bennet was too prejudiced; she thought all rich, titiled people were snobs. However, after their misunderstandings were resolved, they get engaged.

Ju Ly Ly(Judy), Period 1

1/29/2013 01:53:41 pm

I agree with your post that people tend to think that simplicity is unsophisticated. However, I think that it is because people cannot that achieve simplicity themselves, therefore starting to make excuses for themselves.

Fnu L., Period 1

1/30/2013 12:15:39 am

I think your definition of simplicity and being simplistic are very realistic. Also, I had read the novel Pride and Prejudice as well, I agree that this story does convey the simplicity.

Ju Ly Ly (Judy), Period 1

1/29/2013 01:45:15 pm

Simplicity is so hard to achieve because everyone thinks that if one thing is simple, then there is nothing to it anymore. People think that creativity means complexity, that a painting no one can understand is the best art, and that mystery is the best of all. Achieving simplicity means that one can summarize a complicated event into a simple sentence. Being simplicity means that one can just be simple.

Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens talked about how Mr. Scrooge is awakened on Christmas Eve by three spirits who reveal to him his own miserable existence, the opportunities he wasted in his youth, his current cruelties, and the dire fate that awaits him if he does not change his ways. must decide what his own future will hold: death or redemption.

Marisa L. Period 6

1/29/2013 01:46:18 pm

Simplicity is so hard to achieve because in society today we tend to over think and try to make things better than before. Sometimes we may add to much to something and make it complicated because we believe that what we added made it better than before. Sometimes we want people to be impressed with what we can achieve so we take things to a more complicated level to try to impress. Simplicity is hard to achieve because as a society we are always looking for more. The difference between achieving simplicity and being simplistic is that achieving simplicity may have come from complicated steps to get the result. Being simplistic comes from being in a pure state simply stating the message that you want to get across.

The Phantom of the Opera is about a crazed disfigured man, the phantom, who lives in an opera house and falls in love with the lead singer. He teachers her how to sing and she becomes successful and falls in love with a childhood friend. The Phantom tries to steal away the singer to get her to marry him, but her lover comes to the rescue leaving the Phantom by himself to disappear.

Yu, Chi Ying Period 1

1/30/2013 12:33:23 am

I like your explanation on the difference of achieving simplicity and being simple. It is very interesting because I had the same thought, but I doubt myself. Having the complicated process to become simple. Doesn't that just seem contradictory? You seem to have achieved simplicity because your story was laconic!

Lilian D. Per. 2

1/31/2013 02:19:56 pm

I've wanted to watch the Phantom of the Opera because the music in it is lovely, but reading this summary makes my heart ache. Poor crazed, disfigured man. Why couldn't she fall in love with him and then stuff would be happy? Who cares about the childhood friend; its so cliche. I'd like to see how she would deal with the disfiguration and his likely stunting trauma from his past if she was in love with him considering how these circumstances would no doubt bring about much drama itself.

Kaylin T. Period 6

2/3/2013 01:49:59 pm

I have seen Phantom of the Opera many times I know the words by heart and this musical/movie was phenomenal! The fact that the disfigured man, the phantom falls in love with Christine. I think your definition of simplicity was very well explained.

Fnu Leni, Period 1

1/30/2013 12:12:07 am

Simplicity is so hard to achieve because it is too simple that not many people understand what it means. Or most likely that they are afraid of being judge by the society. Sometimes in life when we want to make something as simple as possible, it turns out to be more complicated than ever. Therefore, to achieve simplicity is to believe in yourself and do whatever you think will give you happiness and others too. The difference between achieving simplicity and being simplistic is that achieving simplicity may turn out to be something that we never wanted to happen. Being simplistic is when we have overcome all the obstacles and that we are ready for a simple life.

The lost boy is about a boy who wanted a simple life where he could just be a 9-year boy who have his parents love. But instead he was abused by his mother daily until the foster care come to his rescue.

Ryan C., Period 1

1/30/2013 01:48:36 pm

I agree with you statement that society can play a role in one's desire for simplicity. Having a fear of being secluded by society can greatly affect one's behavior. Simplicity is not always accepted by others.

Cynthia C., Period 1

1/30/2013 02:44:08 pm

I agree that simplicity is something people don't want to achieve because they are afraid of being judged by society. People are always concerned about what society thinks because society is pretty harsh. I agree we always tend to make things more complicated than it really is even when we try to make things simple.

April Voong, Period 2

1/30/2013 01:13:35 am

1.Simplicity is hard to achieve because in life there is no such thing as simple. Its very hard to achieve because nothing is simple. If everything was so simple than life wouldn’t be hard and everything would just be perfect. Sometimes the simplest things can be the hardest things. Or people can turn simple things into the most complicated things. So simplicity isn’t the easiest thing to achieve.

2.In the story Cinderella, her father remarried and she had a stepmother and 2 stepsisters. When her father died her 2 stepsisters and her stepmother treated Cinderella like a maid. But Cinderella never complained or was defiant towards are stepsiblings and her stepmother. Her stepmother forbade her from going to the ball but Cinderella’s fairy godmother helped her. She got to the ball, fell in love with the prince but had to leave at midnight. The prince had found her the next day and they got married and lived happily ever after.

Jenny Yik Period 2

1/30/2013 01:22:45 am

1. Simplicity is hard to achieve because people do not understand the word simplicity. People over think the things that they do and they end up making it harder for themselves. People nowadays try to overdo things and be very detailed and complex, but it is not necessary. The difference between achieving simplicity is being able to reach your main point and try to do what is best for you and being simplistic means that you are trying to go the easy way out and just find a way to get through it.

2.For the story, The Three Little Pigs, each pig built their own home. The first was out of straws, the second was out of sticks, and the third is out of bricks. The wolf came to the first house, blew it down, and ate the pig. The second house was also blown down and the big was eaten. The last house, the wolf was not able to blow the house down and then he tried to trick the pig out. He later climbed down the chimney and then fell into a pot of boiling water. The pig was able to cook the wolf and eat it.

Lisa Z., Period 2

1/30/2013 01:37:11 am

Yes I agree with the fact that people don’t understand the word simplicity and that would be why it is so hard to achieve. Many people don’t want to understand I think because they are in their own world and are scared to understand how life works because it might not be as easy for them as it is for some people. I also like the story of The Three Little Pigs and how it was simplified.

Siyao Li, Period 1

1/31/2013 02:44:24 pm

Your post just helped me realized that I couldn't really define simplicity, and I agree that there is no way to achieve something you don't understand. I also agree that people are going farther and farther beyond the basic necessities for everything.

Lisa Z., Period 2

1/30/2013 01:34:32 am

1. Simplicity is hard to achieve because life is not meant to be easy. Your mind doesn’t work the way you always want to work so you have to think about it. The difference between achieving simplicity is that you are able see the world simply and not through any complicated way. Being simplistic is that you are simple and you don’t need to think about it because it happens naturally.
2. In Cinderella, a girl with a horrible mother-in-law and step sister make her work and all she does is dream of meeting prince charming that will take her away and save her from the horrible life that she lives. One day she meets a fairy godmother, and she takes her to the ball at the castle with a beautiful dress, hair, and glass slippers. She attends but when the clock strikes 12, she must leave, but on the way out one of her glass slippers fall. Leaving the price to find her merely with the glass and in the end she finds her.

Vivian H., Period 2

1/30/2013 12:09:49 pm

I agree with your views on how life shouldn't be simple. It reminds me of some quotes depicting the same message. It's true that people don't think that way. We tend to analyze situations or simple tasks and complicate things. I also like your explanation about being merely simplistic. It makes me wonder if people are still naturally simple when it comes to difficult situations. I also think achieving simplicity can be simple. It's like a matter of picking between things that are black and white. Unfortunately, that's not something that people do anymore.

Qi Hong C Period 6

1/30/2013 06:00:07 am

Simplicity is so hard to achieve is because nowadays, people think too much about their problems,i think because in our generation, we are involving in a complicated situation, there are many competitions between people, so that's why we start thinking things complicated. being simplistic means to be simple mind, means you do not think about a problem in a complicated way. the difference between being simplistic and simplicity is one you do not need to think about it because it happens naturally and another one is your are try not to think it in a hard way.

in the book red scarf girl, the main character Ji Li Jiang lived in a wealth family in Shanghai, her family is the main target of the Culture Revolution, and her goal for her life was to join the communism and become part of it. so her mind started struggling between her family and her dream. finally she chose her family.

Kaylin T. Period 6

1/30/2013 06:33:35 am

Simplicity: is the state or quality of being simple. Simplicity is so hard to achieve because in society today individuals over think their situations, which creates their issue even more complicated. To me the difference between achieving simplicity and merely being simplistic is that simple things in life are one not really that easy to achieve. It takes time and effort to achieve these things.

In The Beauty and the Beast, Belle sets off to find her father in the woods after he has been gone for quite a while when he was on his trip to the fair. She ends up finding his horse right in front of this big haunted looking mansion. Belle goes inside and finds out a beast lives there keeping her father as his prisoner. In order for his release she stays there with the beast. Along time ago there was a curse place on the Beast, the flower represented his time to find true love, if not then he will remain a Beast forever. Belle and the Beast fall in love he turns back into human and live happily ever after.

James Endo, Period 1

2/3/2013 07:48:12 am

I strongly agree with that you said! I also believe that society over thinks many situations in life! And that it IS the simple things that are not easy to achieve.

Kristin Wong, per. 1

1/30/2013 07:12:17 am

I think simplicity is hard to achieve because we live in a society in which people are always busy. We live in a world that focuses on always advancing and creating the next best thing. People who don’t do anything or aren’t up to date with society are seen as lazy or dumb. I think being simplistic is being able to live off the essentials and not needing anything more.
After her father died, Cinderella was stuck with her evil stepmother and stepsisters. They made her do all the work and chores for the house. She wanted to go to the ball, but her evil family didn’t let her go. Later, her fairy godmother appeared and gave her a beautiful dress and carriage to go to the ball in, but the magic would wear off by midnight. Cinderella danced with the prince, and ran off when the clock struck twelve. The prince ran after her, but only found her glass slipper. After searching the kingdom he found her by being able to fit the glass slipper on her foot and they lived happily ever after.

Alan V Period 2

2/3/2013 11:50:21 am

This is very true. Technology nowadays only focuses on the next and better thing. Oftentimes, new functions make things more complicated and harder to use and are not even necessary. We are too used to living up to the new standards and needing each new upgrade. However, in reality the essentials are what really matters. Your version of Cinderella shows that we can still make things interesting without adding all the extra "pizzaz".

Andy B. Period 1

2/3/2013 03:26:37 pm

I agree that being busy is a detriment to achieving simplicity. A lot of people preoccupy themselves not only with work, but also with social media, electronics, and mass media. They don't spend enough time with the truly fundamental things in life like family, friends, and community.

Angela T. , Period 2

1/30/2013 11:07:01 am

Simplicity is so hard to achieve because simplicity requires the ability to condense something without losing its vital information or meaning. The problem with this is that when we simplify something it easily becomes hackneyed. For example, simplifying a fairytale reduces the story to the basic knight in shining armour and damsel in distress as seen in Cinderella or in Snow White. Therefore, we may say that achieving simplicity runs the risk of being simplistic where being simplistic is displaying an idea without novelty or nuances.

In the film, Shrek, the main character Shrek is an ogre living in the swamp. King Farquad banishes all the fairytale creatures to his swamp. To get his swamp back, Shrek must rescue a princess named Fiona from a fiery castle protected by a dragon. Fiona is suppose to be Lord Farquad's queen. However, along the way, Shrek falls in love with Fiona and decides to get her back. After crashing the wedding, Shrek confesses his love to Fiona and, in the end, marries her. It so happens that Fiona is also an ogre, and they have triplets and they lived happily ever after.

Yang Y., Per 2

1/30/2013 11:53:47 am

Simplicity is so hard to achieve because people over think situations that has an easy solution to the problem. People think so much that an easy math problem would become an AP calculous problem. The difference between achieving simplicity is that you are able see the world simply and not through any complicated way. To achieve simplicity is to believe in yourself and do whatever you think will give you happiness and others too.
In the story, Three Little Pigs, the oldest brother is most hard working and persistent, and youngest is just lazy. They each decide to separate and build them own homes.One built a house made of hay. Another with wood, and the other built his house with bricks. The big bad wolf came and blew the house made of hay down, and the youngest brother ran to the second oldest brothers wood house which was also blown down by the wolf and lastly they both ran to the oldest brothers house. The wolf could not blow down the brick house and the pigs jumps in joy.

Vivian H., Period 2

1/30/2013 12:00:33 pm

Like many others, I believe that simplicity is hard to achieve when people overthink things. I also think that it's hard to achieve simplicity because people don't appreciate the simple things. Once people create or find new things, others will try to be innovative and change those ideas. Because people do this to look unique and better amongst others, this causes a paradigm shift. We suddenly think that others have to be different and complicated than just plain simple. I think that achieving simplicity is when you do something and the outcome is simple and being merely simplistic is just living free without complications.

In "The Devil Wears Prada," the main character Andy is living the life. She has a great boyfriend and lands a prestigious job for a fashion magazine. She soon gives in the the fashion and social norms that she was originally against in order to please her boss in hopes of becoming a recognized reporter or writer. She eventually gains sight on what she truly wants to be and fulfills her lifelong dream as a reporter.

William Lam, Period 6

2/1/2013 02:53:00 pm

I agree that sometimes people do not appreciate the little things in life because they are always so focused on the big picture, and this is why achieving simplicity is so difficult.

Bryan Luong P. 6

1/30/2013 01:10:52 pm

Simplicity is so hard to achieve because humans simply just makes things over complicated. The human mind is so advanced that it can come up with many ways to solve a situation and reach a conclusion. There are actually people who challenge themselves to think complicatedly in order to know the many ways to solving a problem. The difference between achieving simplicity and being simplistic is that being simplistic means that a person lives a spartan life. Achieving simplicity means that the person had a complicated life and then reduced it.

In Ice Age 1, Manny found a baby with his friends. His mission was to find the family of the baby and return him to his family. During the journey to find the family of the baby, Manny and his friends encountered many hilarious, but difficult situations that they fortunately survived. At the end, they finally found the family of the baby.

Albert L. Period 1

2/1/2013 03:26:40 am

When people make things over complicated there are many situations to that problem. Society might be overwhelming them into over thinking every single posibility. In math there are many correct ways to solve a problem but the teacher only wants one what would you do? Society is usually cruel to humans many don"t get what they want so those people usually overthing things to save time and money.

Ryan C., Period 1

1/30/2013 01:38:28 pm

Simplicity is difficult to hard achieve because the word itself is hard to define. Simplicity may mean something to one person and something completely different to another person. The grey area is so large and hard to define that it makes it seem as though simplicity can never be completely achieved. The difference between simplicity and being simplistic is that simplicity seems to describe one's entire being while being simplistic only describes one's behaviors.

In the movie Back to the Future Part I, the main character Marty McFly accidentally uses a DeLorean time machine, created by local scientist Emmett "Doc" Brown, to travel 30 years back in time. Little did he know, getting home would be more difficult than expected. Not only does Marty have to amend his parents' relationship after causing his mother to fall in love with him, but he would also have to track down the younger Doc to help generate enough electricity to send him home. In the end, he was able to make his parents fall back in love at their high school dance and get home with the help from a little lightning.

Tom Huang, Period 6

1/30/2013 01:49:25 pm

Simplicity is difficult to achieve because nothing is simple. There is always a greater meaning to everything. Being simplistic should come naturally and not by attempting to achieve it. The difference between being simplistic and achieving simplicity is that simplicity is seeing everything as something simple, while being simplistic is having simple things naturally happen for you.
In the book Shut Up!, the main character's little brother Eddie is getting molested by his aunt's boyfriend Denton. Maria, Eddie's mom is away in Iraq for combat duties and Eddie's brother Mario takes care of him by taking him to a safer place until things got resolved and Denton is in jail.

Eric H Period. 2

2/2/2013 02:54:48 pm

I agree with your opinion. Simplicity is not hard to achieve because life is nothing in life is simple, and there is always a greater meaning to everything. This reminds me of my personal statements that was over complicated to the point of confusion. I really had to work on my ability to simplify ideas and find more consise ways of expressing those ideas.

Mark Chang period 6

2/3/2013 01:48:25 pm

I agree with what you said about simplicity and being simplistic. Usually being simplistic would imply that that person has a better ability to grasp the meanings of their actions. Then others try to achieve simplicity to try to get to the level of the others.

Cynthia C., Period 1

1/30/2013 02:35:08 pm

Simplicity may be hard to achieve because people tend to overthink a lot. They see past the simple parts thus causing things to be more complicated. I believe the difference between being simplistic and achieving simplicity is that being simplistic is a characteristic or trait that you don’t have to try to achieve. People would tend to try to make things simple but we end up making things more complicated than intended. Our minds look past the simple things and are blinded by them even if they’re in front of our eyes.
In the story Cinderella, the main character lives with her step mom and step sisters. They use her as a slave and make her do housework. She later encounters a prince at a ball and left unexpectedly due to her limited time before she gets into trouble back at home since her step mom and step sisters are also at the ball. The prince later goes out for a search party because when Cinderella left the ball, she left her slipper. The prince went out to see who can fit the slipper and finally found Cinderella. They got married and lived on.

Tiffany L., Period 2

1/30/2013 04:00:58 pm

1. Simplicity is hard to achieve simply because we, as the people of this society, tend to abide by the rule that the most complex things have the most impact. We think that if something is simple, or easy to get, it is not as valuable, or important, as something that is very complex and difficult to grasp. Nowadays, our society is such a fast-paced one that relies highly on the most advanced technology and it has become very hard to imagine a simple world without all these complex electronic contraptions.
2. In the story of Hercules, Hercules, once a very underestimated young man, is on a quest to find a place where he belongs--a place where he could just fit in and feel important. After slaying a dragon and saving the towns people from horrifying creatures, he proved his almightiness to everyone and was well-respected after his accomplishments. In the end, he finds the place where he belongs.

Elaine T., Per. 2

1/31/2013 03:08:23 pm

I think that it is true that people do not enjoy the simple things in life anymore. People are taking many of the simple things in life for granted and are always thinking of new ways to improve everything, especially technology. People are so dependent on technology that they do not take the time out of their they to think or enjoy the simple things in life, like taking a walk in the park.

Andy B. Period 1

1/31/2013 12:08:53 am

Simplicity is a hard concept to grasp because most people live their lives with the idea that they need to control everything. That makes life more complicated than it should be, and it makes you start to worry about matters that are out of your control. Achieving simplicity means realizing that you need to let those things go in order to be happy. It is not the same as being simplistic, which is just ignoring and avoiding the problem.

The book Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick is about a boy who is forced to survive the hardships of the Cambodian genocide. He is stripped of his home, friends, family, and questions the fate of his own humanity.

Tom Huang, Period 6

2/1/2013 11:19:23 am

I agree with Andy because simplicity is an extremely difficult concept to grasp. People want to always be in control, but it creates more problems for themselves and therefore makes things not simple. By letting go of these things, you will be happy and realize life is better by just living life and not trying to be in control of everything.

James E.

1/31/2013 12:18:12 am

1.) I believe that simplicity a thing that is hard to achieve because in the generation that we're in, we tend to try to overwhelm our life's with things that can make us look better. We tend to try to go "over the top" with our idea, which creates new things. Sometimes thinking outside the box is a good thing, but also just using the basic needs can also get you by.

2.) Wreck-it Ralph: Based on a movie, Wreck-it Ralph is one of the thousand of bad guys in arcade games, but something is different about him. He tired of being the bad guy. He goes on an adventure through different types of arcade games so that he could be the good guy he's always wanted to be.

Man Ieng(Winnie) C., Period 1

2/2/2013 03:06:39 pm

I agree with you on the idea of simplicity. We just care too much about how the other's see us and think about us. We always want to make ourselves look good and smart and thus complicate everything. And I love the movie Wreck-it-Ralph too!

James Endo

2/3/2013 07:57:29 am

Period 1

Kaycel Carlem., Period 6

2/3/2013 08:19:00 am

I agree with this post because a lot of people feel as if they're not good enough. But although they may not realize it and even the people around them may not realize it, but they are appreciated for who they are. They feel inadequate and feel the need to change to please others. Changing who you are is not always the solution but being true to who you are is the answer.

Gloria M., Period 2

1/31/2013 01:02:14 am

1. Simplicity is hard to achieve because society today relies to much on complicated things. Society is trying to hard to be somebody they're not when they can just be themselves.

2. There was a girl named Cinderella who was bullied by her stepsisters, she was always told that she wouldn't be good enough to marry anyone but a servant boy. However one day, a magical fairy godmother granted her a chance to go to the prince's ball. In the end, Cinderella and the prince lived happily ever after.

Derek Ing

1/31/2013 01:37:36 am

1. Why is simplicity so hard to achieve? What's the difference between achieving simplicity and merely being simplistic?

Simplicty is defined as the quality or condition of being easy to understand or do. This task is very hard to achieve because its not easy to understand or do many things. In a way simplicity is the knowledge for something and it takes time and skill to understand the knowledge. Simplicty is different from simplistic because simplistic is defined as treating complex issues and problems as if they were much simpler than they really are.

2. Take a story you know well, such as a fairy tale or a popular movie, and simplify the plot to a few sentences while still retaining what makes it interesting.

June 6, 1944 the United States stormed the beaches of Normandy to fight the German soldiers that invaded French. Saving Private Ryan, staring Tom Hanks, describes a captain of a platoon who are on a search to find a James Francis Ryan. On their way they fight many German soldiers, die, and save James Ryan. They fight not because they care for Ryan, but for the purpose behind it, representing that freedom comes at a cost, freedom is not free.

Randall C., Period 6

2/4/2013 10:41:56 am

I agree with the way you explain why simplicity is hard to achieve. Simplicity in itself is hard to understand. There are also many ways to understand what simple is and the aspects of it are complicated. This in itself over complicates the way we view things. Our generation has grown up with the many problems of society making things overly complicated. Now when simplicity is being brought back it is being questioned.

Erin T., Period 2

1/31/2013 01:43:34 am

Simplicity is hard to achieve because life is meant to consist of many obstacles. Everybody is bound to face ups and downs in their lives, whether it is through struggles with work, family, or friends. On top of this, people tend to overthink things which ends up complicating situations. The difference between achieving simplicity and being simplistic is that people work hard and face many obstacles in order to achieve simplicity. On the other hand, being simplistic means that people avoid complex situations and always wish to take the easy route.

In the movie Up, a little boy scout named Russell is determined to obtain his last patch, helping the elderly. In doing so, he accompanies a elderly man named Carl Fredricksen in his lifelong dream of travelling to Paradise Falls. As the two of them fly away on an unbelievable adventure, they develop a strong bond-like father and son.

Danny D Period 1

1/31/2013 02:30:23 pm

I agree that everyone does struggle in life and they do overthink. Simplicity is just too hard to achieve because there are too many obstacles out there to challenge life. Life is complicated

Kemberly, Molina Period.6

1/31/2013 03:20:43 am

It is hard hard to achieve simplicity because situations are so complicated. For example, if you don’t know the details of a situattion, you can’t figure out a solution. We as human beings are born complicated. Achieving simplicity is only the act of trying to be simplitic. Being simplistic mean that you just have no life.
Finding Nemo:
Baracuda eats all eggs except one, plus the mom. Nemo is born with weird fin and goes to school where he’s kiddnapped. Then his dad searches the whole ocean for his son, encoutering sharks, jellyfish, seaturtles and the annoyance of a Short term memory loss friend. All in all they are reunited and that’s the end.

Thuc T. , Period 6

1/31/2013 04:15:21 am

Simplicity is so hard to achieve because we tend to think that in order to yield the best results, we need to have things that are sophisticated or complicated. In addition to that, the pressure inflicted upon our shoulders keep us from looking at a different perspective, and that is simplicity can be the key to success. Achieving simplicity does not mean that the result is simple. In fact, it can be so amazing and simple like Toms Shoes! The simple yet elegant design plus the meaning in every pair of shoes purchased make product intricately beautiful. And it shows that the person who manages to achieve simplicity is wise. On the other hand, a person who is merely being simplistic makes the result plain, ordinary. Although that person is keeping things simple, they don't fall into the category of being unique or wise.
I'm going to give a very simple plot of a novel called "If only it were true" by Marc Levy. Lauren is an assiduous doctor who lives in San Francisco. One day, she unfortunately gets into an accident and goes into coma. Her spirit, however, becomes detached from her body. No one can sees her but Arthur. They fall in love shortly afterward. Arthur tries everything to save Lauren's life. At the end of the novel, Lauren wakes up after her long sleep but she cannot remember her spiritual adventure, including her love story with Arthur. (P.S. The 2nd novel gives a happy ending to this couple.)

Eric H. Period. 2

1/31/2013 09:08:58 am

Simplicity is hard to achieve because we are too used to finding a more complicated and deeper meaning to everything. This surrealistic view on the world inhibits our ability to find simple straight forward solutions to pressing problems of our time. Achieving simplicity is basically finding a concise way to explain something seemingly complicated.

In the story 1984, the anti-hero named Winston Smith awakens to the fact that he can control his own life by the means of thinking for himself. But along the way to discovering his past and paving the way for his future, he is constantly being watched by “Big Brother.”

Adam K., Period 2

1/31/2013 10:05:59 am

Simplicity is hard to achieve because we live in a fast-paced society, constantly plagued with life issues and not having a chance to slow down and think when given the chance to. The consequence of this is worrying about every decision we make and having our worries block us from being able to find straightforward solutions to life's problems. To be simplistic is to live life at a minimum with little distraction, while achieving simplicity requires a clear vision in mind and having nothing get in the way of that vision.

In the movie Finding Nemo, a clown fish named Marlin loses his son Nemo in the Great Barrier Reefs of Australia. With the help of a forgetful but funny fish named Dory, they go on the hunt for Nemo. Along the way, they encounter jellyfish, sea turtles, and hungry sharks wanting to eat them. In the end, they rescue Nemo from a dentist's office and are happily reunited.

Michael .Z Per 2

1/31/2013 10:39:19 am

Simplicity is so hard to achieve because people over think situations that has an easy solution to the problem. People think so much that an easy math problem would become an AP calculous problem. The difference between achieving simplicity is that you are able see the world simply and not through any complicated way. To achieve simplicity is to believe in yourself and do whatever you think will give you happiness and others too.
In the movie Up, a little boy scout named Russell is determined to obtain his last patch, helping the elderly. In doing so, he accompanies a elderly man named Carl Fredricksen in his lifelong dream of travelling to Paradise Falls. As the two of them fly away on an unbelievable adventure, they develop a strong bond-like father and son.

Kenny V., Period 2

2/3/2013 11:53:50 am

I agree about how everyone just makes things more complicated then it needs to be. When something easy easy pops up, people treat it like its something much more difficult.

Nguyen, Minh (period 06)

1/31/2013 11:03:38 am

1. The simplicity is hard to achieve because the individual for now still thinking the situations. They think that being simple will not work out and instead fathom of some complex solution to the problem, and generation too, that is the fact of the teenagers think so much about it and of course the situation and instead ending up thinking irrationally. The achievement simplicity mean that the individual work more difficult to come up with something that simple and it had to be truth to dedication of time since them normal doesn't think that ways.

2. In the movie named "Avatar" is the most interesting about the character in this movie named is Paraplegic Marine Jake Sully he deciding to take his place in a mission on distant world name that world was Pandora. There is he learn of greed corporate of Parker Selfridge's intention of driving off the native humanoid "Na'vi" in order to mine for the preciously material scattered throughout rich woodland, and in the exchange for the spinal surgery to fixing his leg, Jake gathering for the cooperating military united spearhead by Colonel Quaritch, while simultaneously attempt to infiltrate the "Na'vi" people with the use of an "Avatar" identities.

Jodi A., Period 1

1/31/2013 11:07:40 am

Simplicity is hard to achieve because there are too many unknown factors in life that make everything more complicated. To achieve simplicity means to make complicated things simpler by working on it. To be simplistic means doing things in the simplest way possible. It doesn’t necessarily mean that someone is lazy, but smart and he or she knows how to keep things simple. The difference is that achieving simplicity is making a large complicated thing smaller and simpler while merely being simplistic is doing all the little things with the least effort. The movie “Tangled” is about a girl who grows up in a tower with a stepmother who kidnapped her as a baby. She goes on an adventure with a wanted criminal to chase her dream and discovers a lot about herself and the world.

Anna Van Per 6

2/1/2013 12:55:26 pm

Indeed, with so many mysteries in life, it is difficult to achieve simplicity. It is almost impossible to unravel all the unnecessary complications in life. As a result, we must deal with the lack of simplicity and strive to achieve it.

Jasmine Li, Period 1

1/31/2013 11:29:30 am

Simplicity is difficult to achieve, beause humans tend to want more and more in life. They can never have enough, they will always try to improve things that are perfect as the way it is. Being simplistic is knowing when to stop fixing things that are fine, and achieving simplicity is letting go of your wants and stick to your needs.

In the movie Hello Ghost, a man named kim tried to commit suicide but for some reason four ghost stopped him. Kim won't be able to kill himself unless he grant each ghost a wish. As the movie went on he found out that the ghosts are his family, his fmaily told him to always treasure his life and they will guide and protect him for the rest of his life. He then realized that life is too important to be wasted.

Mark Chang Period 6

1/31/2013 12:03:12 pm

Simplicity is hard to achieve because we are taught to not be simple. More often than not we are told to write papers that consists of multiple pages when one or two would do. The difference between being simplistic and achieving simplicity is that one needs to try to get simple. It is very different for someone to try to change how they think to make things less complicated than it is for that person who already naturally makes things simple.

In the 3 Little Pigs three related pigs face a common problem and the different personalities of the pigs determine how they deal with that problem. The first two were lazy building their houses quickly with straws and twigs and eventually had their house blown down by the wolf. The last one wasn't and made his house out of bricks and didn't have his house destroyed.

David Lui. Per. 1

1/31/2013 12:12:07 pm

Simplicity is so hard to achieve because everyone in this world today wants to be better than what there already is. People tend to over think situations and think that simple things aren’t sufficient enough. The difference between achieving simplicity and being merely simplistic is that achieving simplicity may be hard to attain while being simplistic is where we have lived through life and overcame things are ready for a simple life.
In the movie, Coach Carter, a basketball team of high school students learn what their priorities are and overcome their fear to become a better player and person. Their team starts off bad and with the help of a new coach they are able to progress as a team and build relationships with one another. At the end they make it to the championship, but fall short and realize that everything is not about winning.

Kevin T., Period 1

1/31/2013 12:34:13 pm

I believe that simplicity is difficult to achieve because of different individuals who influence your life on a everyday basis. People can change your actions and influence your mind, and therefore changing your life. Achieving simplicity is a desire to want one's life to be easier and not have as many obstacles in life. Being simplistic on the other hand, is a person who was born with a mindset that cannot be changed by outsiders and anyone in their life. They are the type of people who reside in their own little world and don't get interrupted.

In "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett, she talks about how life was back in the day. Racism was not a big issue, in fact being racial against colored people seemed like a normal thing. Many of the whites would have colored maids and they would act very inappropriate to them. Hilly was a women who really wanted segregation, and she accomplished this by installing separate bathrooms for the colored and the white. One day, a lady named Miss Skeeter is called up and has a big chance to become a writer, she decides to write about the lives of the colored people as the help, and how they feel and about their life. This book is a story about having the hope of changing the lives of the colored so people would be equal.

Cynthia Hua, Period 1

1/31/2013 01:29:35 pm

1. Simplicity, the level of things being easy. However, people have different concepts of what "simplicity" or "easy" is. There is just no way that 2 people have the same thought process of what may be simple or easy. Simplicity is so hard to achieve because one may not know what he or she is trying to work on. Achieving simplicity is the action of doing the level of things on an easy level, while being simplistic is being "easy."

2. In Cinderella, there is a young girl, who has been raised by her stepmother. The stepmother and her two daughters treated her like a servant. And therefore, she has become a lady in waiting to them. When she grew older, the King has announced that there would be a ball, in which the Prince will choose his bride. Cinderella ends up going to the ball without her stepmother knowing, with the help of her fairy-godmother. At the ball, the clock strikes 12 and she leaves the Prince in her awake and has left her glass slipper behind. The Prince went all over the towns until he finally found Cinderella. When he has found her, they get married, and live happily ever after.

Joanne W., Period 6

1/31/2013 02:02:44 pm

1. Simplicity is hard to achieve because it's really powerful that people are overloaded. We now live in this society that people are always busy working and we also focus on something really hard and then it will make people over think situations that has many easy solutions to the problems. Basically, simplicity means the quality or condition of being easy to understand or do, but it seems really hard for people to think like that, then it takes time and effort to achieve these things.

2. In the story " Little Red Riding Hood, " Little Red Riding Hood went to the forest to visit her ill granny, then she met a wicked wolf that asked her which path she was taking, she told the wolf where she's going. While LRRH was busy picking flowers to take to her granny, the wolf went to the cottage and swallowed granny in one gulp. Then the wolf put on grannyís cap, got in grannyís bed, covered up in blankets, and settled in to wait. When LRRH arrived, the wolf swallowed LRRH in one gulp and then fell asleep. A woodsman came by while the wolf was still asleep. The woodsman cut the wolf open with his ax and out popped Granny and LRRH. The end.

Pinwen L., Per.1

2/6/2013 04:30:17 pm

I agree with you point which it's really powerful that people are overloaded. We now live in this society that people are always busy working and we also focus on something really hard and then it will make people over think situations that has many easy solutions to the problems. Feel like we all make things so hard these days, maybe we should simply drop every concept, and face the fact.

Ryan Ly., Period 1

1/31/2013 02:07:27 pm

Simplicity is difficult to achieve their are many obstacles during ones lifetime. They're ups and downs in life and we must find ways to overcome those obstacles. Simplicity is the quality and condition of something being easy to understand. Being simplistic is when people treat problems as if they were easier than they are.

During the movie Ice Age, a character named Manny found a baby eskimo and was trying to find its family. During his quest to find the baby's family, he runs into many obstacles. But he and his squad overcame those obstacles and eventually found the baby's family.

Lilian D. Per. 2

1/31/2013 02:12:27 pm

I think simplicity is a hard concept because there’s an increasing amount of complex technologies, theories, and laws that surround us, and anything less than that seems just plain stupid. So, really, people make it their goal in life to make some really complicated stuff to boost some self-esteem points. It’s hard to comprehend that a shoe could just be made of fabric instead of some strange lightweight, water proof material that could also somehow heat up whenever you want. I think the main difference is that being simplistic is a sort of character trait where a person really just doesn’t divulge into a topic/idea/etc too much while achieving simplicity is when something (anything really) is reduced to is most basic and efficient form that is practically as desirable as the previous. Or, it could be that there is no difference, and these two are merely interconnected because simplistic minds breed simplicity in life.

In the future, the juvenile crime rate has increased, and the government has decided that instead of juvenile criminals with serious crimes going to juvie, they’ll be imprisoned in a virtual reality. With the technology vastly more advanced in the future, a virtual prison in which a person’s consciousness can be captured indefinitely can be created. A young middle school girl has been convicted of murdering her entire school and is, therefore, sent into the virtual reality where all seems well and normal until nighttime falls. When these juvenile convicts are sleeping, they become haunted with intense trauma and emotions connected to their committed crimes. It drives them to the brink of insanity, but the virtual reality is programmed so that their sanity is restored in the morning. The young girl realizes that the punishment this virtual prison entailed is never ending psychological torture. It’s a harrowing prison where one cannot escape his/her sins. Until redemption is achieved, which may continue even after the body has disintegrated, these criminals, including the middle school girl who killed nearly 500 people, will never find peace.

Jiaxin(Janet) W., Period 1

1/31/2013 02:13:27 pm

1. Simplicity is so hard to achieve simply because many people are not good at summarizing the all those long paragraphs with only the important ideas that are mentioned. People either do not have the reading skills to determine what the main thesis or argument is.
Or they are afraid that they might not have done it correctly, so they just throw out every detail. Simplicity is defined as being simple and uncomplicated while containing all necessary details. On the other hand, being simplistic simply means being simple but does not have important details.

2. A duckling that doesn't fit in is born with a group of ducks. However, he does not know why he is different from the other ducks. Everyone treats him badly, and teases him so he runs off where someone takes him in for the Winter but sets him free when it is Spring. He then starts turning into a beautiful swan and a group of swans adopt him.

Man Ieng(Winnie) C., Period 1

1/31/2013 02:25:44 pm

Simplicity is hard to achieve because we over think things too much. As we grow up, things around us seem to be much more complicated. We learn to consider a lot before we make a decision because we are afraid that things would turn out to be bad. Achieving simplicity is making things go easily and clearly. Being simplistic means to avoid the problems that should’ve been considered and to think that things would just go smoothly without any difficulties.

In the movie Titanic, Jack, who wins two tickets onto the Titanic in a poker game as a third-class passenger, meets Rose, who is a first-class passenger that is engaged unwillingly. They soon fall for each other. However, Titanic, which is said to be “unsinkable”, collides with an iceberg and begins to sink. Rose runs away from her mother and fiancé to be with Jack. They end up with Rose on a wall panel and Jack in the ice-cold water next to her. Jack soon dies but Rose does not give up because of what Jack has said and is saved at last.

Danny D PERIOD 1

1/31/2013 02:27:39 pm

Why is simplicity so hard to achieve? What's the difference between achieving simplicity and merely being simplistic?
Simplicity is hard to achieve because everyone tries to be unique and stand out towards the crowd. Everyone believes if something is simple, then its not that special anymore. People believe that if something with different shapes and patterns on a frame is art because of complexity, and the more mysterious the better. So achieving simplicity is quiet hard due to us trying to over-achieve and take it to a more complicated level. Being simplistic is when we have overcome roadblocks and put all the worries away and live a simple life.

In the short animation "Paperman" by Walts Disney, a man gets hit with a flying piece of paper with a kiss mark on it by a girl who he may never meet again. He goes to work despondent over the fact that he will never see the woman again, but as he looks outside his window he sees the same girl and folds hundreds of paper planes throwing them across the skyscrapers as he fail he throws the "kiss marked" paper and it fails. As he runs down to pick it up, all the paper planes magically gathers together to push him towards the girl and they meet.

Siyao Li, Period 1

1/31/2013 02:36:12 pm

1) Simplicity is hard to achieve because we continuously strive to be better and therefore becoming more complex. Though sometimes simple is best, we are not satisfied with basic things and work to present more for ourselves and also those around us. We tend to over think everything when most of the time the most basic would do. Achieving simplicity and being simple are different in that true simplicity can never really be achieved because there is always a lesser option; being simple is just having enough and not striving for more.

2) Harry Potter - In a world of magic, three friends discover themselves, each other, and those around them as they fight to defeat Voldemort.

Kenny V., Period 2

1/31/2013 02:53:22 pm

Simplicity is hard to achieve because everyone today is trying to be different, unique. When it comes to new ideas people tend to overcomplicate it and they usually over think the basic. When using simplicity thinking you are decreasing the amount of options you have but compared to convergent thinkers, tend to grow up as more experienced and outgoing individuals. Achieving simplicity is not whatever person can do but as to being simplistic is actually achievable, by following rules and applying them to your daily life.

In the move Toy Story 3, Andy has grown too old for his childhood toys and decides to leave all his toys except Woody up in the attic for storage. The toys get mistaken as trash and Andy’s mother donates the toys to a daycare. Woody gets left alone and goes out to tell the other that they weren’t meant to be donated. While at the daycare the toys were treated horribly and Woody gets picked up by Bonnie and taken to her place. Luckily Bonnie goes to daycare and Woody goes along with her to the daycare. All the toys reunite and escape during the middle of the night, but Lotso, also one of Bonnie toys did not want them to escape. He wanted them to feel how he felt back then and so he attempted trapped them in. When they all were outside a garbage man picked up Lotso and kept him, allowing all the toys to escape back to Andy’s house. Woody left a note on the box with all the toys inside and asked to donated to Bonnie.

Elaine T., Per 2

1/31/2013 02:56:45 pm

Simplicity is hard to achieve because people tend to over think things. When trying to come up with a solution to a problem, the solution may be simple, but people usually will think that it is really complicated. The difference between achieving simplicity and merely being simplistic is that achieving simplicity is much more difficult. An example is that making the software for a cell phone is complicated, but people need to be innovative and think how to make the use of cell phones simple for everyday people. Being simplistic means to do things the easy way without thinking very much, but if people want to achieve simplicity that may have an impact in the world, it still needs to be innovative.

Once there was an ugly duckling that was neglected by his family. The ugly duckling then wanders away from the barn and lives with wild ducks and geese at a pond. After the ugly duckling bears the hardships of winter, he matures and fully grows up. The duck feels that he cannot endure a life of loneliness, and decides to throw himself into a group of swans because he believes that it is better to be killed by beautiful birds than to live a life of sadness. He is surprised that the swans accept him and the ugly duckling realizes that that he was a swan by looking at his own reflection in the water. He then lives a happy life with the rest of his family.

Anna Van Period 6

1/31/2013 03:02:46 pm

1. Why is simplicity so hard to achieve? What's the difference between achieving simplicity and merely being simplistic?

It is almost oxymoronic to say that simplicity is difficult to achieve. Everyone attempts to simplify their lives-- be it through shortcuts while driving to the eradication of silly drama in high school. Simplicity is so hard to achieve because it is human nature to complicate things. As much as we try to say we enjoy the simple life, the thrill of unraveling a complicated situation brings satisfaction to us. We tend to overanalyze the most simple situation and create a new dilemma that was previously nonexistent. Achieving simplicity means to be able to make everything simple whereas merely being simplistic means to think in simplistic terms.

2. In F. Scott Fitzgerald's THE GREAT GATSBY, a wealthy bootlegger named Jay Gatsby falls madly in love with Daisy. He ceaselessly chases after her in hopes of one day marrying her. Nick Carraway, the narrator, becomes the mediator in their love affair. Ultimately, Gatsby's endless love for Daisy becomes the cause of his death.

William Lam, Period 6

1/31/2013 03:55:46 pm

1. Simplicity is so hard to achieve because our minds are programmed to over-analyze situations. Because the world is so big, we tend to see things in many perspectives, thus explaining why we over-complicated things. The difference between achieving simplicity and being simplistic is that achievement requires something to be done.

2. In The Tale of Two Cities, a man named Sydney Carton struggles to find meaning in his life. Carton constantly consumes alcohol in order to overcome his emotions. When Carton learns that Charles Darnay is sentenced for execution, he makes a bold move and switches place with Darnay. Through this selfless act, Carton has finally achieved significance in his life and is now perceived as a hero.

Benjamin Lin Period 6

2/1/2013 12:40:58 pm

Achievement is something we strive for, yet we can't ever reach. It could be scary to think what will happen once we achieve what we want. Our lives will then cease to have meaning.

Anna Van Per 6

2/3/2013 02:11:22 pm

Hi William.

Your synopsis of A Tale of Two Cities sounds very interesting. Simplicity is surely difficult to achieve due to our tendency to overanalyze situations. Many times, people overwork their minds by overthinking things, causing them to create a nonexistent dilemma. Achieving simplicity will always be a difficult goal.

Kaycel Carlem., Period 6

2/1/2013 12:28:54 am

Simplicity is hard to achieve because in modern times everyone is trying to reach for perfection. In a time where even young girls believe that they must look perfect and try so hard to beautify themselves to to please other people. The norm nowadays is to look as good as everyone else. Such as buying expensive high end materials/products and undergoing reconstructive surgery because people can not be happy with who they are. And cannot not see that simple is beautiful.

In the popular 2004 teen movie, Mean Girls. The main character is new to a school and in order to fit in she completely changes herself. She changes the way she dresses, talks, and even acts dumber just to try to fit in. And in the end she realizes that changing herself to please other people was wrong. And that she should just be happy with who she really was.

Isabella G., Per. 2

2/1/2013 02:46:49 am

1. Why is simplicity so hard to achieve? What's the difference between achieving simplicity and merely being simplistic?

Simplicity is so hard to achieve in this world becuase everyone wants more and more no one is ever satisfied. As we all grow older making decsions become very complicated. We want to be perfect so we all consider a lot before we make a decison because we don't want to make a mistake. The difference between achieving simplicity and being simplistic is that achieving simplicity means to put in the work to achieve what you believe is simplistic and being simplistic is just not caring and accepting whatever it is that you recieve.

2. The fairy tale, Cinderella deals with a step-mother and two step-sisters that treat Cinderella as a servant. She works and cleans day and night for her step-sisters and step-mother. Not until she meets her fairy god mother and is able to go to a ball and dance with the handsome prince. In the end the prince marry's Cinderella.

Albert L. Period 1

2/1/2013 03:10:21 am

1.Simplicity is so hard to achieve because we, as humans our complicate things. When we see something simple we tend to see things in many other perspective. We think there are many paths in life but yet there is only one. Being simple is very complex to our human nature. We see many different veiws and opinion on every subject. One solution might look right to one person but to another person it is flawed.

2.In the novel of Percy Jackson the last olympian, Percy and his friends embark on many adventures to many different places. Fighting monster, mythical creatures, and even gods are thier job. When the would is in danger of the father of the gods, Kronos, Percy and his friends fight to there way to stop the uprising of Kronos. While Kronos is being revived we hear side storys of the individuals past, each pertaing the story of how they meet up together.

Benjamin Lin Period 6

2/1/2013 12:39:13 pm

1. Why is simplicity so hard to achieve? What's the difference between achieving simplicity and merely being simplistic?

We all claim our daily routines are simple, but in fact they are nothing more that complex tasks that only we ourselves are capable of understanding. We pretend to be simplistic creatures, however, in reality we can't stand being simple. This is why one of the simplest forms of the government, communism, gives way to a more complex system. It seem like a great thing, everyone being equal. However, in reality who wants to be like every other person. If that were the case, our complex cellular structure and our ability to reason is reduced to nothing more than just the atoms that coincidentally bond into you.

2. Take a story you know well, such as a fairy tale or a popular movie, and simplify the plot to a few sentences while still retaining what makes it interesting.

The Grapes of Wrath is a story documenting the plight of the migrant farmers forced to move. However, it was never directly stated what cause it. The book is more of a moral lesson. When everything goes wrong, we all look for someone to blame. However, often times there is nothing to blame.

Maggie W. Period 2

2/1/2013 01:26:01 pm

1. Simplicity is hard to achieve because when we see that there could be a simple way to do something, like a simple way to do the dishes is using the dishwasher, we tend to only see doing the dishes, by hand, is NOT simplistic. However, another person might think doing the dishes by hand is the simple way while using the dishwasher, getting the special soap and learning how to use the machine and loading all the dishes into the machine, is much more complex. Like the grass is greener on the other side. So we will also want what we can't have, making it difficult to achieve. The difference between achieving simplicity and being simplistic is that "achieving" it would mean that you think you weren't being simplistic before and that you are now, while "being" simplistic means that you think you are as simple as you have ever been.
2. In the fairy tale, Humpty Dumpty, a giant egg sat on top of a wall and cracked into little pieces. Then, the kings and his people found him and tried to put him back together but couldn't. The end.

Alan V Period 2

2/1/2013 04:33:20 pm

Simplicity is hard to achieve because we all tend to over think things or believe that we need the best. The “most advanced” technology usually takes priorities than other “simple” ones. Therefore, people tend to look up to the newer technology and tend to want the most up-to-date modern things. Simplicity does not mean giving up quality, but being simplistic may mean so. Sometimes simple is the best way to go.

There once lived a girl who lived with her stepmother and step sisters who treated her badly. After disobeying her family to go to a ball (thanks to her fairy godmother), she met a prince at a ball. The prince sought to find her and they lived happily ever after.

Randall C., Period 6

2/4/2013 10:36:23 am

1. Simplicity is hard to achieve because of the fact that we are unable to grasp it as better than the complicated. It may seem that the more complicated things require more work, but that could be completely the opposite. Sometimes more is less, but do too little and the end result may be faulty. Even seeing the complexity of simplicity is over complicating things.

2. In the movie 'Fight Club,' a man grows tired of his failing life so be makes an alternate personality. Eventually this double version of him begins to take over and he fights himself in his mind. After a reevaluation he realizes that there is only one of him. With a goal to have people escape from their daily lives, he trapped himself. The most important scene to is when he threaten to kills a fast food restaurant chef. He questions what the chef wants to truly be. After walking away he tells the chef, "Here on out, everyday is a blessing. Go fulfill your dreams."

Pinwen L., Per.1

2/6/2013 04:27:32 pm

Like many others, I believe that simplicity is hard to achieve when people over think things. I also think that it's hard to achieve simplicity because people don't appreciate the simple things. Once people create or find new things, others will try to be innovative and change those ideas. Because people do this to look unique and better among others, this causes a paradigm shift. We suddenly think that others have to be different and complicated than just plain simple. I think that achieving simplicity is when you do something and the outcome is simple and being merely simplistic is just living free without complications.

In "The Devil Wears Prada," the main character Andy is living the life. She has a great boyfriend and lands a prestigious job for a fashion magazine. She soon gives in the the fashion and social norms that she was originally against in order to please her boss in hopes of becoming a recognized reporter or writer. She eventually gains sight on what she truly wants to be and fulfills her lifelong dream as a reporter.

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