Tim's Personal Statement for Application to Queen's University Belfast, School of Philosphy, Politics and International Studies.
Posted on March 25, 2010 with 0 comments
To whom it may concern.
I am honored and happy for the opportunity to apply for this MA scholarship in Comparative Ethnic Conflict at Queens University Belfast (QUB). I feel everything over the last 10-15 years has led me to become a perfect candidate for this scholarship.
I read many years ago, Columbia University President, Levine's comment to Soka University of America (SUA) founder, Daisaku Ikeda, that “Education is the slowest means to social change, but the only means.” Because of this quote and others, from Dr. Ikeda's dialogues, I decided at age 30, after 10 years of studying in junior colleges, to start all over again as a freshman at SUA, in 2001. There, I constantly asked myself, as the founder recommends, “for what purpose am I learning, for what purpose will my education serve.” Though I believe education is an end in itself, one who will affect the world in a positive way must constantly ponder how one puts one's education into practice. To cement in my commitment, every year at SUA I sent my writings in book form to the founder. After I graduated from SUA, my writings there amounted to over 1,000 pages.
Upon graduating SUA, I moved directly to Japan, began teaching English in junior high schools, and got married. In my spare time, I continued editing my 1,000 pages of writings and a semi-autobiographical novel I wrote shortly before entering SUA, “Myth Shattering.” I published all of these writings in 5 books, and slowly released them to the public each year over the past 5 years. With the release of these books, I founded a publishing company, Second American Renaissance Press, which will publish the writings of other SUA students and SUA graduates.
The 3 volumes of my “Selected Writings From Soka University of America” deal with issues I care deeply about, issues I feel must be addressed if we are to create a peaceful world, free of ethnic conflict. The first issue, addressed in volume I, “Speaking Truth to Power,” is social justice. As peace activists often say, “No justice; no peace.” This is more than just a slogan; injustice (real or perceived) is at the root of much ethnic conflict. In volume II, “Getting Philosophical,” in a Socratic way, I examined the philosophical frameworks influencing the world, from which many world problems stem. As the final teachings of Buddhism, contained in the Lotus Sutra, teach, all people, “with no distinctions,” are complete equals; all people are in fact Buddhas (according to the Lotus Sutra). This egalitarian understanding of the unlimited potential within each person, whether propagated by Buddhists or people of other religions (or people of no religion) is the only fully evolved consciousness that will help everyone in the world transcend their perceived differences. In Volume III, “Questioning Orthodoxy,” I dissected the outmoded stereotypes and the misconception in modern cultures that cause, among other things, so much self-deprecation of individuals and offered views that can help people escape from diminishing their own self worth and limiting their boundless potential - to become the “super [people]” that Nietzsche saw humanity evolving into.
With the challenges of being in an international marriage and being a junior high school teacher in Japan, for the last 5 years, my goal to be both a full time writer and a singer/song writer has not yet been fully actualized. For this reason, in 2007 I started a podcast, the “Peace From the Far East Podcast.” On this podcast, I introduce my writings, both songs and essays, to the world and have empowering conversations with people around the world who are creating a new consciousness for a more peaceful world.
During the 4 years of my international marriage, I harbored the unfulfilled goal of continuing my post graduate studies. However, I feel now that my ex-wife and I have decided to go our separate ways, that the time has now arose for me to arise to the next level in my life-time educational journey.
I was happy that a long time friend of mine, the director of the Toda Institute for Global Peace and Policy Research, Olivier Urbain, gave me a book a few years ago, which he edited for the institute, called “Music and Conflict Transformation, Harmonies and Dissonances in Geopolitics.” Olivier and I were in a band together many years ago, and he was pleased, after not seeing me for many years, that I have never, despite many challenges, given up on my dreams in music. As this book shows, music is a powerful tool for resolving ethic conflict - as the founder of SUA wrote many years ago, “music is a language common to the entire world.” This book is a solid set of case studies and testimonies to the incredible power music has in creating a peaceful world. This has been my life goal in music, which I developed from reading the writings of the founder of SUA back in my junior high school days, back at a time when “Band Aid” and “USA for Africa” (and many other large musical events) were using music as a powerful force for positive change.
I know with my writings, with my music, and with my podcast, I will be able to add fresh new perspectives to the research on Comparative Ethnic Conflicts at QUB. I will not only read the research that is housed in libraries, but I will also interview many of the people (on my podcast, via Skype) who are leaders in this field. I also hope to get in touch with my Irish ancestry for the first time and perhaps get a better understanding of how and why two of my favorite bands, U2 and the Cranberries, have been able to use some of the conflicts in Ireland to write many inspiring songs of peace and human understanding.
Thank you, Tim Janakos
I am honored and happy for the opportunity to apply for this MA scholarship in Comparative Ethnic Conflict at Queens University Belfast (QUB). I feel everything over the last 10-15 years has led me to become a perfect candidate for this scholarship.
I read many years ago, Columbia University President, Levine's comment to Soka University of America (SUA) founder, Daisaku Ikeda, that “Education is the slowest means to social change, but the only means.” Because of this quote and others, from Dr. Ikeda's dialogues, I decided at age 30, after 10 years of studying in junior colleges, to start all over again as a freshman at SUA, in 2001. There, I constantly asked myself, as the founder recommends, “for what purpose am I learning, for what purpose will my education serve.” Though I believe education is an end in itself, one who will affect the world in a positive way must constantly ponder how one puts one's education into practice. To cement in my commitment, every year at SUA I sent my writings in book form to the founder. After I graduated from SUA, my writings there amounted to over 1,000 pages.
Upon graduating SUA, I moved directly to Japan, began teaching English in junior high schools, and got married. In my spare time, I continued editing my 1,000 pages of writings and a semi-autobiographical novel I wrote shortly before entering SUA, “Myth Shattering.” I published all of these writings in 5 books, and slowly released them to the public each year over the past 5 years. With the release of these books, I founded a publishing company, Second American Renaissance Press, which will publish the writings of other SUA students and SUA graduates.
The 3 volumes of my “Selected Writings From Soka University of America” deal with issues I care deeply about, issues I feel must be addressed if we are to create a peaceful world, free of ethnic conflict. The first issue, addressed in volume I, “Speaking Truth to Power,” is social justice. As peace activists often say, “No justice; no peace.” This is more than just a slogan; injustice (real or perceived) is at the root of much ethnic conflict. In volume II, “Getting Philosophical,” in a Socratic way, I examined the philosophical frameworks influencing the world, from which many world problems stem. As the final teachings of Buddhism, contained in the Lotus Sutra, teach, all people, “with no distinctions,” are complete equals; all people are in fact Buddhas (according to the Lotus Sutra). This egalitarian understanding of the unlimited potential within each person, whether propagated by Buddhists or people of other religions (or people of no religion) is the only fully evolved consciousness that will help everyone in the world transcend their perceived differences. In Volume III, “Questioning Orthodoxy,” I dissected the outmoded stereotypes and the misconception in modern cultures that cause, among other things, so much self-deprecation of individuals and offered views that can help people escape from diminishing their own self worth and limiting their boundless potential - to become the “super [people]” that Nietzsche saw humanity evolving into.
With the challenges of being in an international marriage and being a junior high school teacher in Japan, for the last 5 years, my goal to be both a full time writer and a singer/song writer has not yet been fully actualized. For this reason, in 2007 I started a podcast, the “Peace From the Far East Podcast.” On this podcast, I introduce my writings, both songs and essays, to the world and have empowering conversations with people around the world who are creating a new consciousness for a more peaceful world.
During the 4 years of my international marriage, I harbored the unfulfilled goal of continuing my post graduate studies. However, I feel now that my ex-wife and I have decided to go our separate ways, that the time has now arose for me to arise to the next level in my life-time educational journey.
I was happy that a long time friend of mine, the director of the Toda Institute for Global Peace and Policy Research, Olivier Urbain, gave me a book a few years ago, which he edited for the institute, called “Music and Conflict Transformation, Harmonies and Dissonances in Geopolitics.” Olivier and I were in a band together many years ago, and he was pleased, after not seeing me for many years, that I have never, despite many challenges, given up on my dreams in music. As this book shows, music is a powerful tool for resolving ethic conflict - as the founder of SUA wrote many years ago, “music is a language common to the entire world.” This book is a solid set of case studies and testimonies to the incredible power music has in creating a peaceful world. This has been my life goal in music, which I developed from reading the writings of the founder of SUA back in my junior high school days, back at a time when “Band Aid” and “USA for Africa” (and many other large musical events) were using music as a powerful force for positive change.
I know with my writings, with my music, and with my podcast, I will be able to add fresh new perspectives to the research on Comparative Ethnic Conflicts at QUB. I will not only read the research that is housed in libraries, but I will also interview many of the people (on my podcast, via Skype) who are leaders in this field. I also hope to get in touch with my Irish ancestry for the first time and perhaps get a better understanding of how and why two of my favorite bands, U2 and the Cranberries, have been able to use some of the conflicts in Ireland to write many inspiring songs of peace and human understanding.
Thank you, Tim Janakos