Mrs. Palmer first introduced John Locke to me in my 9th grade World History class; Locke’s Tabula Rasa is a “blank slate” -it expressed that people develop from experience, learned from one’s environment, and essentially have the potential to achieve anything. Nodding, I found myself agreeing wholeheartedly for the first time. The “blank slate” theory marked the start of my slightly obsessive passion for people. Suddenly, I became more conscious of the people around me and repeatedly reflected...