From 1867 to 2011

" Soap and education are not as sudden as a massacre, but they are more deadly in the long run; because a half-massacred Indian may recover, but if you educate him and wash him, it is bound to finish him some time or other. It undermines his constitution; it strikes at the foundation of his being." (1867). These words came from the late Mark Twain in one of his short stories "The Facts Concerning The Recent Resignation". This quote resonates within in me because I think about how people will go to extreme measures to break you down. In the text Twain says "If he could not approve of the massacre, I said the next surest thing for an Indian was soap and education"(p5). Although Twain is being satirical ,this is what people think all the time from 1867 to 2011- they try to break you down and make you conform to their culture, just because they want something from you. In the 1800's they wanted the Indian's land, their women, their minds - in 2011 they want nothing but to merely destroy you because we live in a vainglorious world. In the 1800's they wanted to murder and trick them into what they wanted because they felt superior. In 2011, people will learn you to your core, they will befriend you and love you like you would think a family member would just so they could later hurt you in some way. Twain is saying that physically hurting someone is not as damaging and painful as taking away what makes each of us unique and giving us something we have no faith in, in something we despise. Like taking the stage from a signer and giving her a broom. Or taking teachers from students and giving us street thugs. You see, I have received more from this text than just how ridiculous people are and how humorous Mark Twain is. I have gained knowledge.I know that the only thing that has changed from 1867 to 2011 is the extremity of hate and how evil the world is. And how people -- if you allow -- will take what means the most from you, just to see you fall and crumble and suffer life without the one thing that makes you happy for the mere pleasure of it.