Viewpoints – Week of May 5


“Perseverance in the face of doubt is greatly rewarding”

Attention – it is strived for, pursued and demanded – and yet, rarely does it ever hold value by itself. These days, a lot of our attention seems to be consumed by small things, from the screen of a smartphone to music playing through an earpiece. 

However, I recently learned that paying attention to the world around us, whether it be global events, community politics or simply social situations, gives us more of a view on humanity at large. 

This was precisely the idea behind Paradigm Shift, a thriller novel I released this year at the age of 17.

Being a high school student in Pompano Beach gave me a good idea of the demands of literary content. It enabled me to see through what makes a narrative interesting and what makes it sour. 

Being a first-generation immigrant, however, made it difficult for me to write in English. Having been raised in Poland, I knew very little of the language, and was gradually taught through exposure. It was when I entered my freshman year when I decided to be a novelist and set off to work.

Paradigm Shift took two years to write, an exhausting process, but nevertheless I hold acclaim to the fact I managed through it with a simple trick. I wrote a small bit of the story, which itself revolves around a retired Navy veteran coming to face the realities of his home and finding it a different, much darker place, piece by piece. Each day for two years consecutively, I stringed together fragments of media.

Inspired by some of my favorite works, such as the Maze Runner series, Fahrenheit 451, and the writings of Aldous Huxley and Albert Camus, I was able to describe in great detail a fantastical universe. I created an escape, in my free time, from the realities of the world in a scenario classically describing a truly unfortunate character who pursues despite his challenges, teaching us all a lesson.

To all the contemporaries of my generation seeking to get their voice out, whether it be through fiction writing or any other form of expression, I encourage you strongly. Perseverance in the face of doubt, as Paradigm Shift shows, is greatly rewarding and can lead to wonderful things. I cannot wait to grow further as an author and assist others along the way.

Jakub Rucinski, Coconut Creek

“How is Brightline legally or financially responsible for that?”

What a wonderful article Judy Wilson did on Brightline. She quotes Michael Smith as saying, “is enough being done to prevent impatient drivers from causing accidents?” This is a great question but just how much money and responsibility must Brightline bear because of the negligence of others? 

I live near the crossing at 33rd and Dixie Highway. When approaching that red light, I always stop not just at the white line, but behind it. I cannot count the times someone from farther back in the line has pulled forward and stopped in front of me, directly on the tracks. They seem to think this saving of one to two seconds is worth risking their life for. 

How is Brightline legally or financially responsible for that? 

I close with an interesting question. Both trains and draw bridges use a series of red lights, bells, and red and white crossbars to close the intersection. The train crossings now have many more warning devices. Why do people choose to stop at the devices at the draw bridges, yet ignore the very same devices at the train tracks? This is very perplexing. Thank you for such a great paper.

George Berlenge, Pompano Beach

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