Thoughts on 'Extreme'

From, Alex K.

When using this word we normally talk about the highest or lowest level/degree of something. It is simply said an exaggeration in either one or the other way, which is very unlikely to be a good thing. If I had to make up a visual image of this term I would use a line and the ends of this line would be the definition of this word. 

There are different examples that come to my mind in which this word is used such as very dangerous sports or temperatures on the polar caps compared to those in the deserts. Situations that are very extraordinary and therefore hard to handle are also called this way. But the very first thing I think about when I hear this word is people who are fanatic when it comes to Religion or their beliefs. From my point of view this is the most dangerous use of this term. Religion is used to justify why hundreds of people are killed in terrorist attacks or the worst form, ethical cleansing. Although the media has found a simple target in Muslims, I do not think that it matters which religion these fanatic people have. There have been assaults from different kinds of people, even people who say they do not have any religion and wanted to punish the religious community or people who had political motives. 

Anybody who has such strict and radical beliefs lives in a bubble and can easily loose the connection to reality. It can certainly be compared to some kind of cult when members of a community resent anybody who is not accepting “their truth”. It does not necessarily mean that anybody who adheres to a cult will hurt anybody but of the times it is dangerous to either others or themselves.

From, Ms. Independent

What describes extreme the best, in my opinion, is America. Everything in America is extreme. Where ever you look it is full of extremes. Whatever you compare, in America it’s extreme. Whatever you do, in America it’s extremer than somewhere else. – America seems to me as the country of extremes.

As I am a Swiss girl the first thing that seemed extreme to me was the cities here in America. In comparison to Switzerland, everything here is huge. The buildings are higher than everywhere else, the streets are bigger than everywhere else and one city has even more inhabitants than the whole of Switzerland.

To continue I’m amazed by the distances the Americans take on them for a simple weekend- trip. In the time Americans drive to a shore house Swiss people cross the whole country.

When I lived with a friend who has two kids I realized America’s next extreme. In Switzerland you would hardly see any little kid who possesses a laptop or an I-pad but in America you do. In Switzerland the kids play on playgrounds or in gardens, and they don’t have “out-of-school-activities” everyday, like American kids do.

The last extreme, one maybe just can find in America, or especially in New York, are the police officers who are everywhere. In Switzerland we sometimes see police officers in big cities, but where I live we don’t even have a police station...

To sum up you see how different countries are and even though America is the country of extremes I (extremely) like it here! :o)

From, Ms. (Im)Perfect

              

Love and hate. Both of these are very strong emotions. You cannot control yourself. You just let yourself go. If you love someone unconditionally, you will do anything for him or her. Moreover, you would sacrifice so many things. Same things go with hate. If you really hate someone, you would do anything in order to harm this person. Whether you embarrass him/her or just make him/her feel bad.

These extraordinary feelings may lead you to uncommon decisions. They can make you feel as if you were another person. You literally cannot control yourself. You are cannot control what facial expression you have, whether you smile or you cry. You are not able to think clearly of anything. The only thing you can think of is the target person. No matter if you love or hate someone. Your focus is set on this particular person.

In Switzerland we use to say that a couple, just fallen in love, can live without eating, just by breathing and loving each other. You lose the ability to think clear and to realize what you or your body needs. All you want is the other person. In my opinion, this can be adapted to hate. If you really hate a person, you forget anything around that. You just want to make this specific person suffer. No matter what it takes. 

These might not be the best examples but I think they show that you are not able to control anything you want to. People get in situation when they just cannot do anything else than let it happen, or live the moment. Extreme situations, feelings or views require so many things, but especially acceptance. Maybe the person has to accept the feelings or the people around bothered ones need to accept what is going on.