Seeking advice one most meaningful experience

[Smerdyakov]

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A) Years ago, I was (felt?) betrayed by the people I'd held dearly and consequently had a severe trust issue. Just then, a stranger did something very trivial that restored spirit.
B) I stumbled upon Dostoevsky's works by accident and my perspective on life has shifted since then. I am especially fascinated by his insights into the general human's psyche and those of very fringed persons. I also want to mention that in the Brothers Karamazov, Ivan's decision to rebel against God's ideal because it was built on suffering was the foundation of my motivation to pursue medicine.

Which is better idea? I felt that A is kinda safe-ish (?) and I've been writing 10~ secondaries like that (minus the trust issue lol). I really want to write B though.

What do you guys think?

 

[Goro]

Go with A. Place emphasis on the positives.

 

[Lannister]

Option A has potential. Just be careful that you don't come off as critical of the people who betrayed you.

 

[Smerdyakov]

No one for B? 🙁
Why do you guys think it is bad?... I have a feeling that not everyone will agree with that outlook. How about me explaining why the rejection of a paradise built on suffering is related to my upbringing?

 

[emkayveedee]

No one for B? 🙁
Why do you guys think it is bad?... I have a feeling that not everyone will agree with that outlook. How about me explaining why the rejection of a paradise built on suffering is related to my upbringing?

What if the people reading your PS never read Brothers Karamazov?

 

[Smerdyakov]

What if the people reading your PS never read Brothers Karamazov?

Well if I insert a link to a full pdf copy of the book....
ON the other hand, I have around <1000 characters to write about this. Even if they did read it, would they think that I was arrogant in attempting to convey a message that took Dostoevsky an entire novel to accomplish in <1000 characters?

 

[emkayveedee]

Well if I insert a link to a full pdf copy of the book....
ON the other hand, I have around <1000 characters to write about this. Even if they did read it, would they think that I was arrogant in attempting to convey a message that took Dostoevsky an entire novel to accomplish in <1000 characters?

I'm not necessarily sure it would come off as arrogant but it would be difficult for someone to follow your thought process if you spent too much time on a 1000+ Page piece of literature from 1915 that they've never read.

It would be - IMO - better to reference things people can relate to, even without experiencing them first hand (like topic A)

 

[Smerdyakov]

You are right. Thanks. I will do that.

 

[Professional Student]

You are right. Thanks. I will do that.

Just to build on what has been said, I think B is just a little too intangible. It isn't so much an experience as it is a thought experiment using the philosophic fiction writings of classic literature. Medicine is a profession of results, actions, and outcomes with real people of today. Writing about option B may result in a more skilled literary product or may make an excellent chapter in a memoir if you were to ever write a book, but option A will make a better answer to a short but sweet response to an application question looking for tangible experiences. Everything receives its value from its context.