Facing Challenges

Some people dream of walking straight their whole lives because that's all they want to know. Sometimes they eventually face a challenge and must focus on what's in front of them, relying on natural instincts and morals. Many challenges are faced during the student uprising at Tiananmen Square, where the challenge of being a student, member of the military and even an onlooker watching the news at home exists. Facing a challenge is a step by step process, involving mental focus and courage. These crucial properties are portrayed when a student rebel and a tank drive go face to face in the middle of the street.

As news cameras let the world see this odd challenge for the tank driver trying to get past this minor obstacle on the road, they also see the student's challenge of keeping it together. While one is unarmed, the other cannot make this student go splat all over the pavement. The tank driver is following orders from a commanding officer while the student believes in a cause against the "machine". Vroom, the tank comes forward but just cannot overcome this obstacle of flesh. When the news interviewed the driver and student individually, they were not united in their thoughts that much.

Tank driver: "Ummmm, I had no choice but to avoid the kid, sooo uhhh, what else could I do besides eventually getting out and roaring at him to get out of my way??!!

Student rebel: "I knew what I was doing. Our cause is worth fighting for but we are smart enough to try alternate methods of up rise. So like, ya know, we can be aggressive without shooting someone or beating someone up; the military should learn from us"

What a challenge for both parties. The next step in facing such a challenge is creating a formula for anything that may or may not happen. This step is critical in overcoming a challenge as it may threaten your well being. The student should have a plan A and a plan B, as should the tank driver. In following this structure, both challengers must stick the original plan until everything fails, resorting to plan B. In understanding this concept further, let us enter the minds of the tank driver and the student rebel.

The rebel is thinking to himself, "Today is our day to rise". They are focused on this revolt, sticking to their cause and relying on a combination of knowledge and raw anger to take back what they believe has been taken away. More importantly, they hold the ability to manipulate the superior force of the military and demote them to inferiority like no other. On the other hand, the tank driver's mentality consists of thoughts like "I must follow orders if I were to dispose of this minor roadblock" or "should I respect this?" The tank driver faces more confusion in his respective challenge yet faces less danger. The student, however, put it all on the line but doesn't need to take orders. Instead he can proceed as he wishes. Understanding the challengers themselves serves us with valuable information. This brings us to our final step of the challenge overcoming process, which is the plan B.

The plan B usually implies fleeing, retreating or surrendering to a dominant force. In the challenge between tank driver and student rebel, some of these apply to one more than the other. If the student rebel realizes his stance is pushing boundaries to the point of oncoming steel killing him, he must flee and be proud of his courage. However, if the soldier comes out of the hatch and decides to face the courageous annoyance, then all the plans are put into question. Who knows what plan A consists of here, but plan B should be to flee for his life and feel stupid for lingering so long. The tank driver's plan B doesn't put him in any danger and just needs to do the right thing. The unarmed student can't even attack so no retaliation can take place. It's simple, the tank driver must get out of the tank and either verbally or physically removes this roadblock. Who is to be scarred in this confrontation? A tank driver acting too aggressively to traumatize himself or a minor flesh wound on the student that teaches him a valuable lesson about respecting authority figures?

Challenges are put in front of us every day. For some they are far more challenging. When facing possible death or confused morals, both the tank driver and student rebel have multiple dimensions to their challenge and upon completion of all these steps and investigating their respective minds, you can face and overcome what stands in front of you, whether it's a rebel, a tank, or life itself.