Dialogue between Fukuyama and Joseph Nye - Assignment Example

TOPIC: DIALOGUE BETWEEN FUKUYAMA AND JOSEPH NYE This dialogue is between Joseph Nye and Fukuyama, his uncle, talking about general family and life experience after a long time without seeing each other. Joseph Nye had just gotten out of the class and was heading to the library when he ran into Fukuyama. “Jesus, you startled me. I wasn’t expecting you here.” His face looked sort of delighted. Joseph Nye: How are doing uncle Fukuyama? Fukuyama: I am fine thank you, how are you doing my boy? Stretching his hand out to Joseph Nye Joseph Nye: I am doing okay uncle, long time. (Looking surprised).I did not expect you hear uncle, what brings you to Leo University? Fukuyama: (jokingly), long time my boy, I am here to register for an a undergraduate degree of course Joseph Nye: (smiling), that would be the funniest joke I have heard this week, I swear Fukuyama: (smiling and wrapping his arm around Joseph Nye’s shoulder).What is wrong with an old man coming back to school? Search for knowledge is unending, you know. Joseph Nye: (laughing).nothing is wrong with that uncle. You know what? Fukuyama: what? Joseph Nye: when I see you, I remember how grandmother would put us down to advice on how to be successful in life. One thing that kept coming up was uncle Fukuyama. Fukuyama: oh! I did not know that, I am humbled and what was she saying about me if I may ask? Joseph Nye: you know grandmother with her obsession of you. She would be like, your uncle Fukuyama is a true example of success story. Losing your grandfather when I was just thirty three years was devastating to our family. I thought our family was condemned to an everlasting poverty. Everything seemed dark and our life had lost direction. Your uncle Fukuyama was just two years then, he had known nothing much and the loss of his father was like no news to him. Being jobless then, how your uncles would go to school and be somebody in life was my greatest nightmare. Has she ever told you the same story uncle? Fukuyama: no, never knew my mother went through all that, so sad. How come she managed to change our family this much? Joseph Nye: That what is asked the first time day she told me the story .you won’t believe what her answer was. Fukuyama: what? Joseph Nye: you Fukuyama: how could I have been the cause? I was just two years Joseph Nye: Have you ever known why grandmother has always called you her inspiration? Fukuyama: No but I think it is just one of her flattery. Joseph Nye: No, it isn’t flattery. Grandmother always say that it’s your innocent demands at a young age that inspired her to success. She says that when you were young, you liked chocolate very much. Fukuyama: (interrupting Joseph with a chuckle), you naughty boy, don’t tell me you made that up! Come-on let’s have a cup of coffee in the school canteen. What happens to my love for chocolate? Joseph Nye: it made our family what we are now. Fukuyama: how, we do not sell chocolate!! Joseph Nye: (Laughing) you have not changed uncle. Fukuyama: how? Joseph Nye: you are still the funny uncle Fukuyama, the uncle who would make people laugh at a funeral. Fukuyama :( laughing awkwardly), I can’t believe you think I can do that. I think I should change career for comedy. My introduction on the stage would be a great one I guess. The Master of ceremony would be like and now introducing the tallest, dark and basket mouth comedian, the only comedian with master degree in medicine. Give it up for one and only Dr. Fukuyama. Joseph Nye: (laughing loudly like someone who has just heard the craziest thing in his life).Uncle I swear you will never change. Fukuyama: (Smiling). I have changed of course my boy, you did not realise your uncle is now having brown hair. Joseph Nye: (Laughing). How you wish! Any way that can be good for you, mum usually say they are signs of increased level of wisdom. Fukuyama: (smiling). You know your mum with her superstition. You haven’t told me how my love for chocolate changed our family yet. I insist. Joseph Nye: By the way like I was saying, you used to cry any time grandmother would go with you to the market. There is this day grandmother took you to a wedding of her friend daughter’s. You were an embarrassment that day. Fukuyama: (Laughing loudly) oh my God, what did I do? Joseph Nye: you were all over the grandmother cry for the wedding cake and she had to leave the wedding half way. Fukuyama: I still do not get how that changed our family or how that makes me an inspiration in our family. All I did was to embarrass my mother Joseph Nye: (Sipping his cup of coffee),The previous day you people had gone without food and when you were crying for the cake, grandmother felt like she has failed. She felt it was her mistake. She went to the toilet and cried to God but your innocent look reminded her that it was her responsibility to make things right. This entire long as she was shading tears in the toilet you were there asking if she would buy you chocolate on your way home. Grandmother always felt frustrated with your demanding nature but at the same time felt like it was a wakeup call for her to do something to meet your undying thirst for chocolate. Fukuyama: Oh my God, so what happened next? Joseph Nye: Grandmother had to look for work to get you and the other uncles a decent life. She applied for work at the city council office as the office clerks. She got the job but one thing that never changed was your demanding nature. When you joined school you took the same attitude there. You never got satisfied with being just an average student. You always strived for success. When you were in fourth grade, you became the best student in Leo district and that changed everything. Fukuyama: How? Joseph Nye: When you were announced the best by the District education Officer, the national government awarded you a scholarship and grandmother was offered a job at the office of attorney general as a secretary for bringing up her children well. From then grandmother always says life has never been the same Fukuyama: I wonder why grandmother has never told me this Joseph Nye: maybe she never wanted all this to get into your crazy head. Fukuyama: (laughing). Did you say my crazy head? Joseph Nye: (Smiling), of course if do not enjoy you then who will? Fukuyama: I forgive you for you know not what you are doing. Joseph Nye: by the way, what keeps you focused uncle? Fukuyama: (taking last sip of his coffee cup). You know what my boy, life is a like story and we are the witter of this story. Joseph Nye: I do not understand. Fukuyama: do you like reading stories? Joseph Nye: I am a literature a student so that is more than necessary. Fukuyama: that is right, Joseph Nye: why did you ask that? Fukuyama: what drives you in a story? In other words why do you takes some books or even read more than once and not others? Joseph Nye: I am very selective on the books I read but one thing that I always look for is the creativity of the writer. The author must know how to take the little things in the story seriously. He must develop the story well enough to make me stick to the book. Fukuyama: now that is what I was looking for. Joseph Nye: still do not get how that answers my question or how that is related to your success sincerely Fukuyama: like I told you life is a story. How interesting you want it to be depends on how well you plan your life. In my life like your grandmother say I have never settled for being average. One thing that I always ask is why some people are called the best and I am not? Joseph Nye: Uncle but that is life uncle, we can never be the same in life. Some has to be best and other average. Fukuyama: That is true but one thing you must have realised is that the decision to be the best or not is made by the individual. Joseph Nye: Don’t you think that it is a matter of where someone is born, the circumstance in which they find themselves in life? Fukuyama: what do you mean by circumstances my boy? Joseph Nye: I cannot believe you asked that uncle Fukuyama: I did of course, that word circumstances is never in my life dictionary. I never see myself within my daily life situation but the opportunities that these situations bring with them. Joseph Nye: wow! Fukuyama: my boy I tell you that an individual state of mind is his or her circumstances. Joseph Nye: how? Fukuyama: why do you think we have athletes without legs while other normal people are out there not seeing the importance of their legs? Joseph Nye: I see, tell me why. Fukuyama: It is because of the same reason my boy. Some people see their situation more than they see the benefits that come with it. In my life I have never worried about my problems. I face my shortcomings from a perspective of seeing the greatnesses in them. Everything in my life I put before the Lord and then make my decision without looking at my current situation. Joseph Nye: At our age we face a lot of peer pressure, what is your take on that? Fukuyama: Peer pressure when taken as a normal problem then it solution is in self believe. Joseph Nye: I do not understand Fukuyama: when you youths copy each other one thing that always stand out is that there is that one person that will always drive the group. What makes this person unique is his self believe. You people leave what you believe in and see what others have as the best but one thing I know is that those who stand out are those that stand for what they believe in. Joseph Nye: I think I have learnt a lot today Fukuyama: I am grateful and always there for you my boy Joseph Nye: by the way you have not told me what brought you to Leo University. Fukuyama: I am here to see my neighbour’s son, he is set to graduate in December but he his having problem with admission. Joseph Nye: what problem? Fukuyama: The boy apparently cheated in his last exams and I am here to plead with the admission to let him repeat the paper and graduate than have him discontinued and waste all his life. Joseph Nye: that is so kind of you uncle, what about his parents? Fukuyama: his parents travelled for a vacation in Africa Joseph Nye: what about your family, how are they? Fukuyama: they are fine Joseph Nye: I heard Aunty Angeline was sick, why are you saying they are fine? Fukuyama: yeah but she keeps on insisting that she is okay. Joseph Nye: what was she diagnosed with? Fukuyama: she was diagnosed with brain tumour. Joseph Nye: oh my God! And is she insisting that she is well? Fukuyama: You know your aunty with her strong believe in miracles Joseph Nye: what has her tumour has to do with her biblical believe. Fukuyama: you cannot believe it but you aunty has refused to seek medical attention. Joseph Nye: and what are you guys doing about it? Fukuyama: You know what I like about being grown up is in the power of make decisions Joseph Nye: I do not understand how that answers my question uncle Fukuyama: Your aunty is a grown up and one of the most learned member of our family, by the way if you do not know your aunty was recently promoted to associate professor of medicine at Harmtude University. Joseph Nye: (interrupting) would you please go direct to the point uncle!!! Fukuyama: my boy one thing you should know by now is that an adult has power of doing what pleases them with their lives Joseph Nye: I beg not to support that notion uncle, especially when it comes to our loved ones. Fukuyama: why? Joseph Nye: People in our lives are there for a reason and the only reward we can give them is attention and at least show them that we care. Fukuyama: but we care by being there for them Joseph Nye: why are you saying being there for them if you cannot influence their decisions? Fukuyama: I have advised your aunty but she has insisted on her healing from divine intervention. Joseph Nye: ok, may God grant her His divine healing. Fukuyama: Amen my boy, amen Joseph Nye: and by the way I heard cousin George is set to join Kaltone Univesity,is it true? Fukuyama: yeah, your cousin is really hard working and he has made us proud Joseph Nye: That is good for him, what is he going to do there? Fukuyama: Your cousin was admitted for a bachelor degree in law Joseph Nye: now that is a good one Fukuyama: Exactly, that was the only profession missing in our extended family and God’s glory George has given us the honour Joseph Nye: Amen Fukuyama: by the way when are you finishing your degree? Joseph Nye: I will be done next by year; it will be an honour to get my biggest dream. Fukuyama: it is always fulfilling to achieve your ambitions Joseph Nye: exactly Fukuyama: have you talked to your parents recently? Joseph Nye: yes, we talked last night. Fukuyama: how are they doing? Joseph Nye: I dint hear nothing much, mother is still admitted at Leo district hospital. Fukuyama: What do you mean still admitted, when did your mother get sick? Joseph Nye: Do not tell me you were not informed that mother has been sick since late last month. Fukuyama: I returned into the country yesterday from Canada but I wasn’t told anything about your mum’s sickness. Joseph Nye: oh sorry, I did not know you were not informed. Mother has been sick of blood pressure since late last month and is still admitted at Leo district hospital. Fukuyama: that is sad; I will go see her tomorrow. Let me be leaving for the Vice chancellor’s office before she leaves, I was told she would not be there in the afternoon. Joseph Nye: It is ok uncle, I am grateful for your time. Fukuyama: (leaving) you are welcome and all the best with your studies. REFFERENCES Gadamer, Hans. Literature and philosophy in dialogue: essays in German literary theory. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1994. Print Gudin, Robert. On dialogue: an essay in free thought. Boston: Houghton Miffin.1996.Print. Loomis, Rogers Sherman, and Donald Lemen Clark. Modern English readings: biography; personal essay; reading, writing & reviews; exposition.5th ed. New York: Rinehart & Co., 1947.Print. Madden, Frank. Exploring literature: writing and arguing about fiction, poetry, drama, and the essay.4th ed. New York: Pearson Longman, 2009. Print. Maertz, Gregory. Cultural interections in the romantic Age: critical essay in comparative literature. Albany, N.Y.: State University of New York Press,1998. Print. Murdoch, Iris, and Peter J. Corradi. extentialist and mystics: writings on philosophy and literature. New York: Allen Lane/The penguin Press, 1998. Print. Paine, Thomas, and Moncure Daniel Conway. The writings of Thomas paine;. New York: G.P Putnam’s Sons,189496. Print. Sinaiko, Herman L.. Reclaiming the cannon: essay on philosophy, poetry, and history. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1998. Print Read More