When we grow too complacent with ourselves, along come writers who, wasplike, sting us with reminders of the many problems we face, from rehabilitating former prisoners on parole to feeding the world’s hungry population. Those authors do not see civilization rising almost vertically to greater and greater heights. Though a multitude of problems beset America, they nominate the large urban centers as potentially the most dangerous and requiring the most immediate attention. They see the cities as the morgues of dead hopes and lost ideals.
- Complacent: Puas diri, merasa cukup, sombong
- Wasp: Tawon, serangga yang menyengat, serangga
- wasplike: seperti tawon
- Rehabilitate: Merehabilitasi, memulihkan, memperbaiki
- Parole: Parole, pembebasan bersyarat, izin keluar
- Vertical: Vertikal, tegak lurus, garis vertikal
- Multitude: Banyak, kerumunan, orang banyak
- Nominate: Menominasikan, mencalonkan, menunjuk
- Potential: Potensial, kemampuan, potensi
- Morgue: Morgue, ruang mayat, tempat penyimpanan jenazah
We are preoccupied with trifles like the upholstery in our homes or personal matters like pensions and benefits, but now we are called upon to contribute to our community on every vital level, moral, political, and economic. We are not being urged to give up our beloved possessions, but our civilization can be saved only if we overcome the epidemic of indifference. We must begin to live with a new openness to others and a determination to become the best we can be.
- Preoccupied: sibuk, teralih perhatian
- Trifle: remeh, hal yang tidak penting
- Upholstery: taplak meja, bahan yang digunakan untuk melapisi sofa atau kursi
- Pension: pensiun, uang pensiun
- Vital: penting, sangat diperlukan
- Urge: dorongan, keinginan kuat
- To give up: menyerah, berhenti
- Overcome: mengatasi, mengalahkan
- Epidemic: epidemi, wabah penyakit yang menyebar dengan cepat
- Indifference: ketidakpedulian, sikap acuh tak acuh
- Openness: keterbukaan, sifat terbuka dan jujur
- Determination: tekad, keberanian, keteguhan hati
Words in Use
The Wasp’s Sting
John had always been a complacent man. He was content with his life, his job, and his family. He never thought that anything bad could happen to him. He was like a wasp, wasplike in his attitude, ready to sting anyone who dared to challenge him.
But one day, his life took a turn for the worse. He was arrested for drunk driving and sentenced to rehab. He was given the chance for parole if he completed the program successfully.
The rehab center was a tall vertical building in the middle of the city, surrounded by a multitude of people going about their daily lives. John felt like a trifle, a small and insignificant part of the world around him.
But he was determined to make the most of his time there. He was nominated to be the head of the center’s upholstery department, where he discovered a potential for creativity he never knew he had. He spent his days designing and creating beautiful pieces of furniture, and his nights studying for his GED.
One day, he was called to the morgue to identify the body of a man who had died of a drug overdose. The sight of the lifeless body made him realize how precious life was, and how lucky he was to be alive. He became less preoccupied with himself and more open to the world around him.
He completed his rehab program and was granted parole. He started a new life, one where he was more vital and engaged with the world. He started volunteering at a local shelter, helping others overcome their addictions.
But then, an epidemic hit the city. A new drug was spreading like wildfire, and people were dying left and right. John felt a sense of urgency, an urge to do something to help.
He rallied the community to take action, to fight against the indifference that had allowed the epidemic to spread. He spoke out with openness and determination, urging people to come together to find a solution.
And they did. Together, they were able to overcome the epidemic, to save countless lives. John had found a new purpose in life, one that was far more meaningful than anything he had ever done before. He had been stung by the wasp of complacency, but he had emerged from it stronger and more determined than ever.
