The words “perceiving” and “knowing” are very similar yet are also very different.
When you perceive something, you believe that it exists. You may not have seen it with your own eyes and know for sure that it is real or valid. But, you believe that it exists due to information that you have gathered (sometimes from many sources). The “thing” that exists may be another person’s feelings, an object behind a locked door (which you may not have seen yourself), or a situation discussed in recent gossip. If you haven’t seen the object behind the locked door then you do not know for sure that it exists. But, you may perceive that it exists because a friend of yours told you that it was, in fact, there. Or, perhaps you have seen the object and you know that it was a blue telephone, for example. Even now that you have seen the object, you may perceive it a different way than your friends have. Perhaps they believe that the phone is worthless, but you see it as a magnificent treasure. When you perceive something, you have not necessarily observed it the “right way” or the “wrong way”. One object, feeling, or situation may be seen a million different ways. Every person perceives the world around him or her in his or her own personal way.
When you know something, you are sure that it exists. You have experienced or seen it first hand. When you “know” something, you have no doubts because you are sure about it. Although, there is only one real way of “knowing” something. For example, if Student A claims to “know” that tigers are mammals and Student B claims to “know” that tigers are amphibians, then one of the students does not really “know”. “Knowing” differs from “perceiving” because when you “know” something, you can be correct or incorrect. There is only one correct way of knowing something because regardless of the person’s personal way of looking at that situation, there is only one way to “know’ it for sure. For example, a man’s shirt cannot be solid green and solid red at the same time. If two children watch a scene in a soap opera where a boy throws a pencil at the ground. The first child is distracted by his mother but the second child watches the scene closely. When asked what the boy did in the soap opera scene, the first child says “I know that he put the pencil on the table” and the other child says “I know that he threw the pencil at the ground”. Only the second child can accurately claim to know what happened. The first child is incorrect.
When you “know something” you know it for a fact. When you “perceive something”, you are pretty sure it has happened but do not know first hand. “Knowing” and “perceiving” are similar because they both have to do with interpreting information and understanding it to the best of your potential.
When you know something, you must also perceive it. This is because you acknowledge that it exists. You look at it the way that it is and therefore know that it is valid. But, when you perceive something, you do not necessarily have to know it. Like the example with the object behind the locked door, you may perceive that it is there because your friends tell you that it is. But, you do not “know” for sure that it exists. You are simply using the information provided to you to come to a satisfactory conclusion, without actually “knowing” for sure.
Although “knowing” something may imply that you understand it inside and out, there are several different depths of knowledge. A boy may “know” that his mother is crying because he saw her tears but may also not know that his mother is crying because she is happy. In this case, the boy knows first hand that his mother is shedding tears. But, if he does not understand the entire situation (such as why she is crying), then he only “knows” the situation to a certain extent. The further a person explores the things that he knows, the more knowledge he will gain about those things. Therefore, one type of knowledge can be superior to another. It is a good idea for one to explore the circumstances surrounding what he or she “knows”. This will allow him or her to understand it even further and possibly perceive it in a different way than he or she would have.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Monday, December 10, 2007
Who Am I?
What does it mean to know yourself? Well, “know yourself” does not literally mean “I know myself”. Instead it means, “I am comfortable with myself”. You may “know” who you are, flaws and all, but it does not make a difference unless you are satisfied with that person. When you are comfortable with whom you are, it is easier to get through the troubles in front of you. This is because you are able to assess your strengths and weaknesses and apply them to any situation in order get through it the best way possible. In other words, when you know yourself, you know how to tackle the world around you because you know what you can and can not do. It is important to be comfortable with who you are because that determines how easy or hard it will be for you to tackle those situations. For example, if Suzy tries out for her school’s volleyball team thinking “Well, I’m not sure if I am very good at any of this. But, I guess I want to be on the team” then she will most likely not perform very well during try-outs. It is likely that Suzy would seem to be afraid of the ball (ducking at the wrong times, not hitting it very hard when she has the chance), because she is unsure of herself. In contrast, if Suzy says, “ Okay, well I know that I am really good at bumping. I am not so good at spiking the ball, but I bet that if I watch some of the other girls’ techniques and use what I do know, I can get better” then she is more likely to impress the coach with her abilities. This is because although Suzy may not be the best at everything, she is able to figure out what she is good at and what she is not as good at. By knowing her strengths and weaknesses, Suzy is able to try-out to the best of her ability. Also, Suzy has a much better attitude and will feel even better about the effort she put into volleyball. By knowing yourself, you are able to give your best effort to anything in front of you.
I am well on my way of “knowing myself” and therefore have already realized a few of my strengths and weaknesses. My absolute worst quality is that I find it hard to let go of the past. This has become more and more apparent to me over the past couple of months. This is because, for the past two and a half years, I had a boyfriend (who I loved very much). The past year had especially been a struggle for us because things were not working out and neither of us knew how to let go, especially after all of the experiences that we had faced and cherished together. Even as our relationship became more and more rocky, we held on to each other. As expected, the situation became continually harder and harder since neither of us quite knew how to move on. That boyfriend was able to realize that it was time for him to give up and move on. As he moved on, I held on to him as tight as I could. “Why would you leave after everything that we have shared”, I said, even though it was very apparent to me why he would. I tried so hard to hold on to what we had in the past and to forget that what we shared in the present was not nearly as worth fighting for. As a result, I became very hurt. I became more hurt than I ever should have let myself become. All of this was simply because I did not want to accept change. Our situation became a lot worse before I was finally able to take a step back and let myself let go.
But, my best quality quickly became helpful. This quality is that I try to learn the most that I can from every situation that I face. In this case, I was able to realize that he wasn’t just leaving me because he did not love me anymore. He was simply leaving me because things had changed, and during that time, we should not have been together. I was able to take a step back, and look at the big pictures. I was able to see that letting go was what I absolutely needed to do. This realization helped me to move on and make the best of a situation. I understand why the situation was so painful and I understand how to tackle it if I have to face a similar situation in the future. The quality of being able to learn from the situations I face has taught me how to deal with the death of a family member, car accidents, and bad grades. Overall, this quality has helped me to be resilient.
Writing about one’s own strengths and weaknesses is incredibly difficult, especially during adolescence. We are unsure of who we are, and what we are made up of (not literally). Also, we are generally self-conscious. This ties into the concept that I introduced at the beginning of this blog: that “knowing yourself” really means “being comfortable with yourself”. As our humanities classes type about what we are good at and what we are not good at, the majority of us are thinking “okay, who is going to read this, and what are they going to think about what I said”. As we get older, and become more comfortable with who we are, it will become easier for us to say ‘I am this, this, and this, and it does not matter to me if you agree with that or not because that is simply who I am”.
Although writing about ourselves is a difficult, and rather personal task, it is also necessary. There is no better time to start thinking about who we are than the present. This blog is just an introduction to many years of soul searching and I guarantee that the majority of students in our classes have started this process. These students opened the website entitled “The Same River Twice” and instead of reading, “what does it mean to know yourself?”, they read, “who are you?”. Those students then said to themselves, “Hm, who am I?”. Hopefully, confidence and self-assurance will be soon to follow.
I am well on my way of “knowing myself” and therefore have already realized a few of my strengths and weaknesses. My absolute worst quality is that I find it hard to let go of the past. This has become more and more apparent to me over the past couple of months. This is because, for the past two and a half years, I had a boyfriend (who I loved very much). The past year had especially been a struggle for us because things were not working out and neither of us knew how to let go, especially after all of the experiences that we had faced and cherished together. Even as our relationship became more and more rocky, we held on to each other. As expected, the situation became continually harder and harder since neither of us quite knew how to move on. That boyfriend was able to realize that it was time for him to give up and move on. As he moved on, I held on to him as tight as I could. “Why would you leave after everything that we have shared”, I said, even though it was very apparent to me why he would. I tried so hard to hold on to what we had in the past and to forget that what we shared in the present was not nearly as worth fighting for. As a result, I became very hurt. I became more hurt than I ever should have let myself become. All of this was simply because I did not want to accept change. Our situation became a lot worse before I was finally able to take a step back and let myself let go.
But, my best quality quickly became helpful. This quality is that I try to learn the most that I can from every situation that I face. In this case, I was able to realize that he wasn’t just leaving me because he did not love me anymore. He was simply leaving me because things had changed, and during that time, we should not have been together. I was able to take a step back, and look at the big pictures. I was able to see that letting go was what I absolutely needed to do. This realization helped me to move on and make the best of a situation. I understand why the situation was so painful and I understand how to tackle it if I have to face a similar situation in the future. The quality of being able to learn from the situations I face has taught me how to deal with the death of a family member, car accidents, and bad grades. Overall, this quality has helped me to be resilient.
Writing about one’s own strengths and weaknesses is incredibly difficult, especially during adolescence. We are unsure of who we are, and what we are made up of (not literally). Also, we are generally self-conscious. This ties into the concept that I introduced at the beginning of this blog: that “knowing yourself” really means “being comfortable with yourself”. As our humanities classes type about what we are good at and what we are not good at, the majority of us are thinking “okay, who is going to read this, and what are they going to think about what I said”. As we get older, and become more comfortable with who we are, it will become easier for us to say ‘I am this, this, and this, and it does not matter to me if you agree with that or not because that is simply who I am”.
Although writing about ourselves is a difficult, and rather personal task, it is also necessary. There is no better time to start thinking about who we are than the present. This blog is just an introduction to many years of soul searching and I guarantee that the majority of students in our classes have started this process. These students opened the website entitled “The Same River Twice” and instead of reading, “what does it mean to know yourself?”, they read, “who are you?”. Those students then said to themselves, “Hm, who am I?”. Hopefully, confidence and self-assurance will be soon to follow.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
You have the power...
It was the summer after tenth grade. I leaned back in my chair and spoke to him, my eyes filled with tears.
“I just don’t understand why everything has to happen all at once, and I don’t know how people can be so mean. It’s almost like they don’t care at all,” I said.
“You generally can not change the way that people act towards you. You may want them to say one thing or do one thing but realistically, it may never happen,” he replied.
I was having an appointment with my new psychologist. During the end of the school year, I had experienced a great deal of depression and anxiety and was trying to piece my happiness back together.
“You just have to take things as they come and remember that suffering is what you make it,” he continued.
“So basically, I can change the way I feel about certain things?”
“You may not be able to change the way you feel about situations,” he replied, “but you are able to change how you react to them. The next time that something happens to you that makes you upset, try to take a step back and ask yourself ‘do I really need to get worked up over this?’ or ‘What will make me feel better?’ . This is an approach that will help negate you from being controlled by your emotions and will in turn let you think about the situation before you become upset.”
I looked up at the clock. It was 4:30, time to go. I thanked him for his time and walked slowly to the door of his office. The garbage was overflowing with used tissues. It reminded me that I needed to retain my composure before reuniting with my mother in the waiting room. As we walked down the hallway toward our car, a phrase from the conversation I just had with my psychologist floated about in my head. “Suffering is what you make it”. It repeated over and over and began to sink in.
Weeks continued and the repetition of the phrase in my head became greater and greater. I had used the phrase on several occasions, such as how to not be bothered by rude cashiers and how to keep my cool when my mother was yelling at me with a (seemingly) pointless reason. But, my greatest accomplishment did not occur until mid-October, and one of the worst days of my life.
This mid-October worst-day-of-my-life even started off horrible. It was the day after my boyfriend of the time and I broke up (so naturally, it was set up to be bad). I had seen my ex in the hallways a few times and cried every time but seemed to get myself back together each time. Then I found out that I was failing my math class and that I received a seventy on my latest Spanish test. To make things worse, I lost my cell phone and forgot money for lunch. When my mother came to pick me up from school that day, I made a conscious decision to make my day better. I sat in the front seat, took a deep breath, and started to smile. Incredibly, my mood shifted from bad to good and within the next hour, I was laughing. I learned that I really could alter my mood and perception of a situation just by changing the way that I was thinking about it.
The advice that I received from my psychologist has followed me through many tough times. When my grandfather passed away, (although it obviously could not relieve all of the pain), it certainly kept me going. When one learns that he can choose the way life affects him, he then has control over its quality. It is important to have this ability because it can alter ones life tremendously, like it did mine. Before I learned that I could control the amount of enjoyment I got from life, I was in a rather deep depression. After I gained the information, I was able to pull myself out of my depression and to view my life optimistically, no matter what situation I was facing. It was certainly the most valuable advice that I have ever received.
“I just don’t understand why everything has to happen all at once, and I don’t know how people can be so mean. It’s almost like they don’t care at all,” I said.
“You generally can not change the way that people act towards you. You may want them to say one thing or do one thing but realistically, it may never happen,” he replied.
I was having an appointment with my new psychologist. During the end of the school year, I had experienced a great deal of depression and anxiety and was trying to piece my happiness back together.
“You just have to take things as they come and remember that suffering is what you make it,” he continued.
“So basically, I can change the way I feel about certain things?”
“You may not be able to change the way you feel about situations,” he replied, “but you are able to change how you react to them. The next time that something happens to you that makes you upset, try to take a step back and ask yourself ‘do I really need to get worked up over this?’ or ‘What will make me feel better?’ . This is an approach that will help negate you from being controlled by your emotions and will in turn let you think about the situation before you become upset.”
I looked up at the clock. It was 4:30, time to go. I thanked him for his time and walked slowly to the door of his office. The garbage was overflowing with used tissues. It reminded me that I needed to retain my composure before reuniting with my mother in the waiting room. As we walked down the hallway toward our car, a phrase from the conversation I just had with my psychologist floated about in my head. “Suffering is what you make it”. It repeated over and over and began to sink in.
Weeks continued and the repetition of the phrase in my head became greater and greater. I had used the phrase on several occasions, such as how to not be bothered by rude cashiers and how to keep my cool when my mother was yelling at me with a (seemingly) pointless reason. But, my greatest accomplishment did not occur until mid-October, and one of the worst days of my life.
This mid-October worst-day-of-my-life even started off horrible. It was the day after my boyfriend of the time and I broke up (so naturally, it was set up to be bad). I had seen my ex in the hallways a few times and cried every time but seemed to get myself back together each time. Then I found out that I was failing my math class and that I received a seventy on my latest Spanish test. To make things worse, I lost my cell phone and forgot money for lunch. When my mother came to pick me up from school that day, I made a conscious decision to make my day better. I sat in the front seat, took a deep breath, and started to smile. Incredibly, my mood shifted from bad to good and within the next hour, I was laughing. I learned that I really could alter my mood and perception of a situation just by changing the way that I was thinking about it.
The advice that I received from my psychologist has followed me through many tough times. When my grandfather passed away, (although it obviously could not relieve all of the pain), it certainly kept me going. When one learns that he can choose the way life affects him, he then has control over its quality. It is important to have this ability because it can alter ones life tremendously, like it did mine. Before I learned that I could control the amount of enjoyment I got from life, I was in a rather deep depression. After I gained the information, I was able to pull myself out of my depression and to view my life optimistically, no matter what situation I was facing. It was certainly the most valuable advice that I have ever received.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Carpe Diem
Before I die, I would like to:
1) Experience true love
2) Have children
3) Change someone else’s life significantly
4) Be there for my parents as they grow older
5) Experience stability
These things are important to me for various reasons. But, they are also very important to me because as a whole they would give my life value and meaning.
First of all, I would like to experience true love. In fact, I have dreamt of true love since I was a very small girl. “True love” exists in many children’s books and as many are growing up, they are told about how wonderful and exciting being in love is. I was no exception to these children and would stay up at night dreaming of the day that my prince charming would sweep me off my feet. Unfortunately, storybook type love generally does not exist and “true love” is often a superficial concept. For example, I believe that if you asked all of the young couples at Amity High School if they are in love, four out of five couples will say “yes”. It is somewhat troubling to me that the majority of couples at our school will claim to have “true love” because it is something that should be rare and special. At least, rare enough that by age sixteen, half of the population would not have already found it. Therefore, many of the teenagers that claim to be “in love” have love for another person but are not “in love”.
Before I die, I am looking for a kind of love that is different than the kind found in high school. I would like to be in a relationship that pushes me to be a better person and that keeps me on my feet. I have personally found that a high school relationship is almost the opposite of what I am looking for. Love in high school is difficult and demanding. It can tend to be so overwhelming that in most cases, it does not last. I would like to be in a relationship that does.
True love is valuable for humanity because many people grow up hearing about its wonders in storybooks (like I did). As children, we internalize many of the things that we hear about, especially repeated concepts (like love). In a way, we are programmed as children to want to experience love. Therefore, as we grow up, we have our eyes open for someone to fall in love with. Also, love makes us feel good and gives us a reason to wake up in the morning. It is important for humanity to fulfill its desires. The experience of true love is often one of those desires.
Before I die, I would also like to have children. By having children, I would be able to not only pass on my genes but also pass on my ideas through that child. Of course, one can not completely dictate what a child will believe, but chances are that a child will be influenced by his or her parents’ ideas. I would also like to have a child because I would like to experience motherhood and watching my child develop. It is remarkable to me how a child can grow to become a complex human being. I would like to be a part of that process.
It is important to humanity to have children for the same reasons that it is important to me to have children. The difference is that throughout history, the most important aspect of having children has been to continue a bloodline. For example, may royal families have struggled to continue their bloodlines in order to keep power. Also, many farming families have liked to have several children to help with the workload. But, in modern, suburban towns (like the town I live in), people have children because they would like watch their children grow and develop. They would also like to have another person to love and care for.
It is also important to me that I change another person’s life significantly before I die. This is because helping other people makes me feel good. It is also important to me because I believe in the golden rule, “treat others as you wish to be treated”. So far, many people have helped me get through tough times. I would like to give back to society by helping others through their tough situations. I believe that every person has a lot to offer to society and that it is critical to help those around us. If we ignore those around us and only act selfishly, it is impossible to ever reach our full potential as a society. For example, I am a link crew leader in a club at my school called Link Crew. In Link Crew, we help the freshmen in our high school become active, prepared students. On occasion, some of the link crew leaders teach lessons to the freshmen. Our most recent lesson included the importance of helping and receiving help from others. We gave a sheet of pundles (word images that depict certain phrases) to each of the freshmen. First we let them see how many of the pundles they could uncover by themselves. Next, we let them work in pairs and see how many more they were able to uncover together. The freshmen noticed that they were able to get a lot more pundles uncovered by working together than by working alone. The pundle activity showed the importance of working together and helping other people. This is important not only to myself but also to all of humanity. By helping each other, we are able to reach goals more easily. I would like to help another human being because I would like to aid them in reaching their goals that same way that others have helped me.
I would also like to be able to help my parents, as they grow older. This is because my parents have watched over me for all of my life. They have fed me, given me clothes and shelter, and have provided me with a very loving, nurturing environment to grow up in. Overall, I owe a lot to my parents and would like to show them my appreciation by helping them when they need me. As people get older, they often become a little disoriented and lonely. It is my intention to help my parents out whenever they may need me as they grow older. Perhaps they will need me to help them with new computer software or to help them take care of their animals while they are on vacation. Either way, I believe that it is my duty to make sure that my parents live a safe, comfortable life, as they grow older (just as they made sure that I had a safe, comfortable life as I grew up). My parents mean a lot to me and before I die, I would like to continually help them any way that I can.
Many other people in society feel that it is important to help their parents as they grow older. This is because of many of the reasons that I would like to take care of my parents. As one grows older, he feels the need to repay those that helped him when he was young (such as his parents). Also, in many different cultures, it is important to “respect your elders”. In order to respect those people that are older than you (such as your parents), you can watch over them as they become older and guide them if they need any help along the way.
Lastly, before I die, I would like to experience stability. This is because at this point in my life, I do not know where I am going to go to school next year, if I am going to get married, or where I am going to be living in five years. Overall, I do not have very much stability. On day, I would like to know exactly where I am in life and where I am going to be headed. In other terms, I would like to have a secure, job, home, and marriage. I believe that if I can attain security in my life, then I will be able to focus on other things that are important to me such as raising a child. Stability is also important to humanity. This is because it is human nature to want to know where your life is going and not to have to worry about basic wants and needs. Once one has the basic components of his life secure, he is able to continue his life doing the things that he wants to do.
There are many things that a person wants in a lifetime. But there are just a few that are essential. To me, these essentials are finding true love, having children, helping another person significantly, helping my parents as they get older, and finding stability.
1) Experience true love
2) Have children
3) Change someone else’s life significantly
4) Be there for my parents as they grow older
5) Experience stability
These things are important to me for various reasons. But, they are also very important to me because as a whole they would give my life value and meaning.
First of all, I would like to experience true love. In fact, I have dreamt of true love since I was a very small girl. “True love” exists in many children’s books and as many are growing up, they are told about how wonderful and exciting being in love is. I was no exception to these children and would stay up at night dreaming of the day that my prince charming would sweep me off my feet. Unfortunately, storybook type love generally does not exist and “true love” is often a superficial concept. For example, I believe that if you asked all of the young couples at Amity High School if they are in love, four out of five couples will say “yes”. It is somewhat troubling to me that the majority of couples at our school will claim to have “true love” because it is something that should be rare and special. At least, rare enough that by age sixteen, half of the population would not have already found it. Therefore, many of the teenagers that claim to be “in love” have love for another person but are not “in love”.
Before I die, I am looking for a kind of love that is different than the kind found in high school. I would like to be in a relationship that pushes me to be a better person and that keeps me on my feet. I have personally found that a high school relationship is almost the opposite of what I am looking for. Love in high school is difficult and demanding. It can tend to be so overwhelming that in most cases, it does not last. I would like to be in a relationship that does.
True love is valuable for humanity because many people grow up hearing about its wonders in storybooks (like I did). As children, we internalize many of the things that we hear about, especially repeated concepts (like love). In a way, we are programmed as children to want to experience love. Therefore, as we grow up, we have our eyes open for someone to fall in love with. Also, love makes us feel good and gives us a reason to wake up in the morning. It is important for humanity to fulfill its desires. The experience of true love is often one of those desires.
Before I die, I would also like to have children. By having children, I would be able to not only pass on my genes but also pass on my ideas through that child. Of course, one can not completely dictate what a child will believe, but chances are that a child will be influenced by his or her parents’ ideas. I would also like to have a child because I would like to experience motherhood and watching my child develop. It is remarkable to me how a child can grow to become a complex human being. I would like to be a part of that process.
It is important to humanity to have children for the same reasons that it is important to me to have children. The difference is that throughout history, the most important aspect of having children has been to continue a bloodline. For example, may royal families have struggled to continue their bloodlines in order to keep power. Also, many farming families have liked to have several children to help with the workload. But, in modern, suburban towns (like the town I live in), people have children because they would like watch their children grow and develop. They would also like to have another person to love and care for.
It is also important to me that I change another person’s life significantly before I die. This is because helping other people makes me feel good. It is also important to me because I believe in the golden rule, “treat others as you wish to be treated”. So far, many people have helped me get through tough times. I would like to give back to society by helping others through their tough situations. I believe that every person has a lot to offer to society and that it is critical to help those around us. If we ignore those around us and only act selfishly, it is impossible to ever reach our full potential as a society. For example, I am a link crew leader in a club at my school called Link Crew. In Link Crew, we help the freshmen in our high school become active, prepared students. On occasion, some of the link crew leaders teach lessons to the freshmen. Our most recent lesson included the importance of helping and receiving help from others. We gave a sheet of pundles (word images that depict certain phrases) to each of the freshmen. First we let them see how many of the pundles they could uncover by themselves. Next, we let them work in pairs and see how many more they were able to uncover together. The freshmen noticed that they were able to get a lot more pundles uncovered by working together than by working alone. The pundle activity showed the importance of working together and helping other people. This is important not only to myself but also to all of humanity. By helping each other, we are able to reach goals more easily. I would like to help another human being because I would like to aid them in reaching their goals that same way that others have helped me.
I would also like to be able to help my parents, as they grow older. This is because my parents have watched over me for all of my life. They have fed me, given me clothes and shelter, and have provided me with a very loving, nurturing environment to grow up in. Overall, I owe a lot to my parents and would like to show them my appreciation by helping them when they need me. As people get older, they often become a little disoriented and lonely. It is my intention to help my parents out whenever they may need me as they grow older. Perhaps they will need me to help them with new computer software or to help them take care of their animals while they are on vacation. Either way, I believe that it is my duty to make sure that my parents live a safe, comfortable life, as they grow older (just as they made sure that I had a safe, comfortable life as I grew up). My parents mean a lot to me and before I die, I would like to continually help them any way that I can.
Many other people in society feel that it is important to help their parents as they grow older. This is because of many of the reasons that I would like to take care of my parents. As one grows older, he feels the need to repay those that helped him when he was young (such as his parents). Also, in many different cultures, it is important to “respect your elders”. In order to respect those people that are older than you (such as your parents), you can watch over them as they become older and guide them if they need any help along the way.
Lastly, before I die, I would like to experience stability. This is because at this point in my life, I do not know where I am going to go to school next year, if I am going to get married, or where I am going to be living in five years. Overall, I do not have very much stability. On day, I would like to know exactly where I am in life and where I am going to be headed. In other terms, I would like to have a secure, job, home, and marriage. I believe that if I can attain security in my life, then I will be able to focus on other things that are important to me such as raising a child. Stability is also important to humanity. This is because it is human nature to want to know where your life is going and not to have to worry about basic wants and needs. Once one has the basic components of his life secure, he is able to continue his life doing the things that he wants to do.
There are many things that a person wants in a lifetime. But there are just a few that are essential. To me, these essentials are finding true love, having children, helping another person significantly, helping my parents as they get older, and finding stability.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Permanence
In Gilgamesh, when Gilgamesh finally speaks to Utnapishtim about immortality, Utnapishtim replies, "There is no permanence" (106). This means that everything in the world, may it be ideas, structures, or people, will not last forever. Ideas change, structures break down and rot, and people die.
As civilizations grow and develop, they develop new ideas and new social norms. For example, in ancient cultures, homosexuality was accepted and cherished. In modern society, homosexuality is often seen as "wrong" or "offensive". The concept of homosexuality being acceptable has changed over time. Also, as time goes by, old houses need repairs, technology needs upgrades, old generations die out, and new generations are born. Ultimately, everything changes at some point or another.
When Utnapishtim spoke to Gilgamesh, he was specifically speaking of the impermanence of life. Utnapishtim was telling Gilgamesh that every living thing will eventually die and that death needed to happen. In the modern world, this concept often pushes people to live their lives to the fullest, rather than to live unhappy with the knowledge that they are going to die. When one realizes that he has limited time on earth, he often wishes to make the best of it. In Tim McGraw's song, "Live Like You Were Dying", he tells a story about how he had cancer and spent the next portion of his life doing things that he had always meant to do. McGraw sings:
"I went sky diving
I went Rocky Mountain climbing
I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named fumanchu
And I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter
And I gave forgiveness I'd been denying
And he said someday I hope you get the chance
To live like you were dying".
In this song, McGraw shows the importance of enjoying the life that you have. Therefore, McGraw is ultimately sending the message that the meaning of life is to do things that make you happy and not to focus on the things that make you upset. Whether it is listening to music, skydiving, eating food, having sex, or spending time with your family, you should do things that you enjoy and live life to the fullest.
Without happiness, life may not even be worthwhile. This can explain Ishtar's actions when Ishullanu refused her. Ishtar did not want Ishullanu to be happy and therefore "changed [him] to a blind mole deep in the earth, one whose desire is always beyond his reach" (87). Ishtar took away the happiness (and overall the meaningfulness) of Ishullanu's life. At that point, Ishullanu would have been better off dead.
When Utnapishtim speaks to Gilgamesh, he is trying to help him realize that death is natural and that if death did not take place, life would not be as special. Utnapishtim does not have the chance to enjoy life as much as a mortal would because his life can never be taken away. Perhaps if Utnapishtim were mortal, he would be motivated to find more enjoyment in life. Utnapishtim wants Gilgamesh to understand the importance of impermanence, especially the impermanence of life.
Although the impermanence of life makes life special, it also causes a sense of instability for many people. In order to control this instability, people like to make structure and organization in their lives. To do this, many find a secure job, start a family, and live according to a schedule. Order and organization make people feel better and more relaxed. To make structure that continues after one passes away, many people set up scholarships, specified programs, or even restaurants. They feel good because they have made an impact on the world around them by providing others with a structured community. This is why it is common for older generations to work very hard to make the lives of younger generations easier. People like to help each other to live the best lives possible. They can help each other by making organization in a community (which includes anything from government and shops to financial aid systems). This community then serves as the foundation of many people’s lives.
If there was not impermanence, people, like Utnapishtim, would be less inclined to do the things that they wish to do. Impermanence is important because it gives life importance. If one does not work to give his life structure and to attain satisfaction, then his life is missing significance.
As civilizations grow and develop, they develop new ideas and new social norms. For example, in ancient cultures, homosexuality was accepted and cherished. In modern society, homosexuality is often seen as "wrong" or "offensive". The concept of homosexuality being acceptable has changed over time. Also, as time goes by, old houses need repairs, technology needs upgrades, old generations die out, and new generations are born. Ultimately, everything changes at some point or another.
When Utnapishtim spoke to Gilgamesh, he was specifically speaking of the impermanence of life. Utnapishtim was telling Gilgamesh that every living thing will eventually die and that death needed to happen. In the modern world, this concept often pushes people to live their lives to the fullest, rather than to live unhappy with the knowledge that they are going to die. When one realizes that he has limited time on earth, he often wishes to make the best of it. In Tim McGraw's song, "Live Like You Were Dying", he tells a story about how he had cancer and spent the next portion of his life doing things that he had always meant to do. McGraw sings:
"I went sky diving
I went Rocky Mountain climbing
I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named fumanchu
And I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter
And I gave forgiveness I'd been denying
And he said someday I hope you get the chance
To live like you were dying".
In this song, McGraw shows the importance of enjoying the life that you have. Therefore, McGraw is ultimately sending the message that the meaning of life is to do things that make you happy and not to focus on the things that make you upset. Whether it is listening to music, skydiving, eating food, having sex, or spending time with your family, you should do things that you enjoy and live life to the fullest.
Without happiness, life may not even be worthwhile. This can explain Ishtar's actions when Ishullanu refused her. Ishtar did not want Ishullanu to be happy and therefore "changed [him] to a blind mole deep in the earth, one whose desire is always beyond his reach" (87). Ishtar took away the happiness (and overall the meaningfulness) of Ishullanu's life. At that point, Ishullanu would have been better off dead.
When Utnapishtim speaks to Gilgamesh, he is trying to help him realize that death is natural and that if death did not take place, life would not be as special. Utnapishtim does not have the chance to enjoy life as much as a mortal would because his life can never be taken away. Perhaps if Utnapishtim were mortal, he would be motivated to find more enjoyment in life. Utnapishtim wants Gilgamesh to understand the importance of impermanence, especially the impermanence of life.
Although the impermanence of life makes life special, it also causes a sense of instability for many people. In order to control this instability, people like to make structure and organization in their lives. To do this, many find a secure job, start a family, and live according to a schedule. Order and organization make people feel better and more relaxed. To make structure that continues after one passes away, many people set up scholarships, specified programs, or even restaurants. They feel good because they have made an impact on the world around them by providing others with a structured community. This is why it is common for older generations to work very hard to make the lives of younger generations easier. People like to help each other to live the best lives possible. They can help each other by making organization in a community (which includes anything from government and shops to financial aid systems). This community then serves as the foundation of many people’s lives.
If there was not impermanence, people, like Utnapishtim, would be less inclined to do the things that they wish to do. Impermanence is important because it gives life importance. If one does not work to give his life structure and to attain satisfaction, then his life is missing significance.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Heroes
In Beowulf, The Odyssey, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Lord of the Rings, the protagonist has to go to great lengths in order to reach a goal. In each story, the main character must travel for months (or years) and face many obstacles. He must also (at least at some point) be fearless, courageous, and selfless.
Some may say that these protagonists are heroes because they always pushed on, no matter how difficult the task, to achieve their goals. The truth is that many of these protagonists are not heroes. A true hero is not only fearless and daring, but he is also kind and intelligent. For example: Odysseus, from The Odyssey, traveled for many years in order to get home. When Odysseus returned, he discovered that many suitors were courting his wife, Penelope. Odysseus disguised himself as a suitor in order to win back Penelope's hand in marriage. When Odysseus won, he found it necessary to kill all of the men who had suited her. Odysseus cannot be identified as a hero because he acted recklessly when he murdered his wife's suitors.
In order for someone to be considered a hero, he must have more than masculinity. Our society often forgets that in order for someone to be distinguished as a hero, he must have done more than just complete a testosterone filled adventure. We tend to recognize the protagonist of almost every movie we watch and every book we see as a hero. Hollywood is responsible for the common misconception that strength is the main component of heroes. Filmmakers glorify worriers and ruthless criminals. In movies, each adventure is exciting and dangerous. But, the filmmakers fail to emphasize that many of the "hero's" actions are selfish and unmerciful. Very often, the "heroes" of these movies only have motives to gain land, spread their religion, and steal from innocent people. The glorification of such characters in movies results in our society looking up to strong, powerful figures rather than quiet and sensitive figures. Traditionally, women are seen as quieter and more sensitive than men. Unfortunately, this is why heroes in literature and movies are primarily male. Due to sexism, very few women are seen on the cover of Blockbuster new releases.
As skewed as our society's views on heroes may be, we have needed heroic figures since the beginning of civilization. Heroes generally can accomplish things that ordinary humans cannot. A hero can often withstand ridiculous amounts of stress on both their bodies and their minds. Heroes give every day "normal" people hope that seemingly impossible tasks can be completed. This is important because it keeps people pushing on and trying their hardest at all times. Perhaps if our society did not have heroic figures, we would have been less productive throughout history. We have needed heroes to look up to and to push us to be the best that we can be.
Although, the existence of heroes in literature and movies are helpful, they can also be harmful to our society. Bertold Brecht, a German playwright and poet, once said, "Unhappy the land that needs heroes". This statement means that although heroic figures can push us to be better people, they can also give us false expectations of others and ourselves. For example, if a story is written about a hero who saved his family from their burning house, a man in real life who was not able to do the same task may live his life with regret. It is not fair to have the same expectations for everyone, especially to expect the same from a hero in a storybook and a man in real life. It may be frustrating to people in our society that they are not able to do the things that a hero is able to do. In essence, the idea of heroes may lead to unhealthy self-concepts. Also, since heroes in current movies and literature are often seen as strong and powerful, people who do not have the same characteristics (and are quiet and introverted) may not feel good about themselves. Those who are unlike heroes, may feel as if they will never be able to have a relationship with a certain type of person or be a successful leader. Overall, the common concept of a hero may put “normal” people down.
Some may say that these protagonists are heroes because they always pushed on, no matter how difficult the task, to achieve their goals. The truth is that many of these protagonists are not heroes. A true hero is not only fearless and daring, but he is also kind and intelligent. For example: Odysseus, from The Odyssey, traveled for many years in order to get home. When Odysseus returned, he discovered that many suitors were courting his wife, Penelope. Odysseus disguised himself as a suitor in order to win back Penelope's hand in marriage. When Odysseus won, he found it necessary to kill all of the men who had suited her. Odysseus cannot be identified as a hero because he acted recklessly when he murdered his wife's suitors.
In order for someone to be considered a hero, he must have more than masculinity. Our society often forgets that in order for someone to be distinguished as a hero, he must have done more than just complete a testosterone filled adventure. We tend to recognize the protagonist of almost every movie we watch and every book we see as a hero. Hollywood is responsible for the common misconception that strength is the main component of heroes. Filmmakers glorify worriers and ruthless criminals. In movies, each adventure is exciting and dangerous. But, the filmmakers fail to emphasize that many of the "hero's" actions are selfish and unmerciful. Very often, the "heroes" of these movies only have motives to gain land, spread their religion, and steal from innocent people. The glorification of such characters in movies results in our society looking up to strong, powerful figures rather than quiet and sensitive figures. Traditionally, women are seen as quieter and more sensitive than men. Unfortunately, this is why heroes in literature and movies are primarily male. Due to sexism, very few women are seen on the cover of Blockbuster new releases.
As skewed as our society's views on heroes may be, we have needed heroic figures since the beginning of civilization. Heroes generally can accomplish things that ordinary humans cannot. A hero can often withstand ridiculous amounts of stress on both their bodies and their minds. Heroes give every day "normal" people hope that seemingly impossible tasks can be completed. This is important because it keeps people pushing on and trying their hardest at all times. Perhaps if our society did not have heroic figures, we would have been less productive throughout history. We have needed heroes to look up to and to push us to be the best that we can be.
Although, the existence of heroes in literature and movies are helpful, they can also be harmful to our society. Bertold Brecht, a German playwright and poet, once said, "Unhappy the land that needs heroes". This statement means that although heroic figures can push us to be better people, they can also give us false expectations of others and ourselves. For example, if a story is written about a hero who saved his family from their burning house, a man in real life who was not able to do the same task may live his life with regret. It is not fair to have the same expectations for everyone, especially to expect the same from a hero in a storybook and a man in real life. It may be frustrating to people in our society that they are not able to do the things that a hero is able to do. In essence, the idea of heroes may lead to unhealthy self-concepts. Also, since heroes in current movies and literature are often seen as strong and powerful, people who do not have the same characteristics (and are quiet and introverted) may not feel good about themselves. Those who are unlike heroes, may feel as if they will never be able to have a relationship with a certain type of person or be a successful leader. Overall, the common concept of a hero may put “normal” people down.
Friday, August 31, 2007
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