We're starting this book early, those of us who wish can attend the (free) Zoom workshop conducted by the author on the next two Mondays at 1 pm. Click on the link in the sidebar to register.
Sick Souls, Healthy Minds: How William James Can Save Your Life
by John Kaag (author of American Philosophy: A Love Story and Hiking with Nietzsche)
In 1895, William James, the father of American philosophy, delivered a lecture entitled "Is Life Worth Living?" It was no theoretical question for James, who had contemplated suicide during an existential crisis as a young man a quarter century earlier. Indeed, as John Kaag writes, "James's entire philosophy, from beginning to end, was geared to save a life, his life"--and that's why it just might be able to save yours, too. Sick Souls, Healthy Minds is a compelling introduction to James's life and thought that shows why the founder of pragmatism and empirical psychology--and an inspiration for Alcoholics Anonymous--can still speak so directly and profoundly to anyone struggling to make a life worth living.
Kaag tells how James's experiences as one of what he called the "sick-souled," those who think that life might be meaningless, drove him to articulate an ideal of "healthy-mindedness"--an attitude toward life that is open, active, and hopeful, but also realistic about its risks. In fact, all of James's pragmatism, resting on the idea that truth should be judged by its practical consequences for our lives, is a response to, and possible antidote for, crises of meaning that threaten to undo many of us at one time or another. Along the way, Kaag also movingly describes how his own life has been endlessly enriched by James.
Eloquent, inspiring, and filled with insight, Sick Souls, Healthy Minds may be the smartest and most important self-help book you'll ever read. g'r
Nov 16-17-Prolog, ch1
- Prior to this semester had you heard of William James?
- Do you think even the happiest people think of themselves as failures?
- Do you ever feel "divided"? (Are you a polymath like WJ? Or "philosophically stuck"?) 2
- Do you know any "sick souls"? 3 Or "healthy minds"? 4 Are they the same person?
- Do you agree that believing life to be worth living "will help create the fact"? 5
- Do you like WJ's answer to the question "Is life worth living?" 9
- Is suicide always "the wrong way to exit life"? 10
Map of William James's Cambridge...
- Do you agree with Jennifer Michael Hecht? “None of us can truly know what we mean to other people, and none of us can know what our future self will experience. History and philosophy ask us to remember these mysteries, to look around at friends, family, humanity, at the surprises life brings — the endless possibilities that living offers — and to persevere. There is love and insight to live for, bright moments to cherish, and even the possibility of happiness, and the chance of helping someone else through his or her own troubles. Know that people, through history and today, understand how much courage it takes to stay. Bear witness to the night side of being human and the bravery it entails, and wait for the sun. If we meditate on the record of human wisdom we may find there reason enough to persist and find our way back to happiness. The first step is to consider the arguments and evidence and choose to stay. After that, anything may happen. First, choose to stay.” Stay: A History of Suicide and the Arguments Against It by Jennifer Michael Hecht
- Does Calvinism "set out an impossible task"? 13
- Do you agree with WJ's father about "the point of life"?
- Can there be a constructive, non-violent "moral equivalent of war"? 21
- Do you agree with James about "our national disease"? 22
- Would it be bad if all your wishes "were fulfilled as soon as they arose"? 23
- Was "Mark" right about the three parts of a person? 26
- If there's no "soul" is determinism true? 28
- If humans are animals, do we have no soul? 31
- Were Nietzsche and Buber right about suicide? 34-5
- Are you one of the lucky "once-born"? Does that make you "blind and shallow"? 40
FL 39-40
- How would you explain the phenomenon of Alex Jones?
- Do you know any omniconspiracists? 357
- Is there anything more reprehensible than a "Sandy Hook truther"?
- Do you know anyone who believes in conspiratorial "shape-shifting reptilian humanoids" 359
- Why did "the reality-based right lose control to its fantasy-prone true believers"? 363
- Does "economic insecurity correlate with greater religiosity"?
- Have you heard of Agenda 21? 364-5
- Why is Ayn Rand's "selfishness is righteous" philosophy so popular with so many conservatives? And why don't they want to acknowledge her atheism? 367
- Can the GOP restore a reasonable and moderate center, or is it now permanently going to be a fringe/extremist party? 368
- Why do conservatives conflate socialism with communism? ("Denmark is a real country") 368
- Do younger voters understand that the environment should not be a partisan issue?
- How can the GOP Establishment justify perpetrating the "fraudulent fantasy" of voter fraud? 370
- Did you know that Tennessee still has a law that "requires officeholders to believe in Heaven and Hell"? 374
- Does Mencken's 1925 statement about "civilized Tennesseans" still apply? 375
Nov 18-19-Ch 2
- Have you ever experienced "anhedonia"? How did you respond? 42
- Do you think the world is "fated" and not "Panglossian"? 43
- Have you ever experienced "second wind" or had a Muir moment? 45
- Have you ever "survived dying"? 46
- Do you like Renouvier's definition of free will? 47-9
- Do you think adulthood requires "selling your soul"? 49
- Does feeling good ever make you feel bad? 51
- Do you agree that "minds are not computers (and) bloodless calculators"? 54
- If/when you propose marriage will you also give "arguments against accepting"? 58
- Was Pascal right about the "heart" and its reasons? 60
- Should we "always look of the bright side"? 62
- Is there wisdom in "fake it 'til you make it"? 64
- Do you know the "felt experience of taking meaningful and novel action"? 66
FL 41-42
- Are you afraid of GMOs or vaccines?
- Do you trust people who say they got their information from "the University of Google"? 378
- Do you understand the concept of "herd immunity"? Do most Americans? 379
- Did you play with guns, as a child? 381
- Do you own a gun? Why?
- Do you think most mass killers are paranoid schizophrenics or psychotics? 383
- Why is there so much confusion about the second amendment? 386
- Why do so many people think the government is going to confiscate their guns? Should it (like Australia)?
- Why didn't Sandy Hook change everything?
Do you like WJ's answer to the question "Is life worth living?"
ReplyDeleteKaag says that “According to James, there was one answer…’Maybe—it depends on the liver.’” Kaag recognizes that “certain lives are so impossible or unbearable that they are better off cut short.” (Kaag, 9). They are both right. You need a reason to go on living, a purpose to your life. It is easy to agree with James when you are healthy and mentally alert and may have experienced a moment of trauma or tragedy that makes you question the meaningfulness of life. You might feel so depressed that you just want to end your life and find peace, but as time passes you recover. James had several of those moments and he was able to survive them and continue living, but when he was in Berlin, Germany receiving treatment for all his headaches, nausea, and back conditions that rendered him almost immobile, he reached his low point (33). As Kaag wrote, “he was contemplating suicide, admitting, “thoughts of the pistol, the dagger and the bowl began to usurp an unduly large part of my attention” (33).
If he had placed that pistol against his temple and pulled the trigger, we would know very little about William James and certainly nothing about his accomplishments, but at that moment he would have found peace. For a sick-souled person who cannot find relief from the pain they are suffering, they are tired and exhausted and see no future that exists without pain. These individuals may welcome the opportunity to spend the last few minutes with their loved ones in a controlled environment where they can say good-bye and drift off to an eternal peace.
I cannot imagine healthy-minded individuals who would want to end their life prematurely, but they are the lucky ones. I believe that James and Kaag want these healthy-minded people to understand that there are other people who struggle everyday with thoughts about whether there is any meaning to life and question whether they should go on living. Think about your response if you were talking to someone on the phone who had a gun to their head and asking you if life was worth living. Would you say “maybe”?
I think there is always a reason to go on living for. I think you did a really good job and I think people should seek help if they are feeling down or are depressed.
DeleteI agree with what you said and appreciate how you answered the question. It's very important that those who don't struggle with mental health try to put in perspective all the people that do. It's a complex thing and not easily understood- but we could all use a bit more knowledge on the subject.
Delete• Do you think even the happiest people think of themselves as failures?
ReplyDeleteI think that all people go through phases in their life that they consider themselves failures. Nobody goes through their entire life or even a whole day and looks back and can say that everything went perfect. I think that very successful people are even harder on themselves than normal people. There is a lot more to lose as a successful person than as somebody who does not have anything. Once people reach the top, everybody else is trying to bring them down. I think people that are very successful hold themselves at a much higher standard than they did before they were at the top. These types of people have almost no room for error and need to make sure they do everything they can right. If something goes wrong for them, then they take it much harder. I am not sure, however if they would consider something, they did wrong a failure.
One other thing that is very interesting is that people who have made it to the top and can have anything they want to seem to be some of the most depressed and unhappy people. They have achieved everything they want and receive so much hate from people. There are a lot of celebrities that have talked about this and it is something that until you are in that position you will never understand. I think these people hear and receive so much hate from people that they will consider themselves failures when they are still very successful people suffering from other people trying to bring them down.
13/13 essays 65/65 points 27/26 comments
I have heard of this phenomenon quite a bit! It is said by many people that those who look down on themselves and criticize themselves are often very successful in life. I think that there is at least some truth to that as long as the conditions are such that the person turns those feelings of doubt into hard work and productivity that eventually lead to success. I do agree with your comment that people go through phases as well which further challenges this notion.
DeleteI like your take on this! that's why we should just continue to live our best life.
DeleteI think you make a good point that successful people are likely harsher on themselves because they have more to lose. I definitely think that makes sense. Also, I would imagine that in many cases where people become successful on their own, they may have already been the type of person to feel inadequate and not be satisfied with mediocrity. It would make sense for that trait to remain even after they reach success.
DeleteDo you think even the happiest people think of themselves as failures?
ReplyDeleteI think that there is a common misconception that people who have success or are happy always must think of themselves as less than what they are. I don't think this is true. I believe it is certainly obtainable to think of yourself and it brings a smile to your face. I am able to look back on my life so far and be content with what I have done and what I will do in the future. I think this often gets brought up with comedians such as Robin Williams. Normally these comedians will often portray these lives, but it isn't truly their life at all. They are supposed to act one way or the other to make people laugh so there is a valid argument on whether or not comedians are happy, but I truly do think that most people can be happy and not look at themselves as a failure. In the end, most people try to do the actions that they believe are going to better them and the world around them (sadly this isn't true of politicians). People such as myself go through life and we do what we think we must. We make these decisions based upon how they might affect us or others positively, no one wakes up and is ready or wants a day of failure. Everyone does in fact fail though so how do people think good of themselves if they have failed so much? A former US Attorney General has something to say about this, “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” - Robert F. Kennedy. It is in those moments of doubt and regret that we can learn something, sure we might have failed or done it the wrong way, but that gets you one step closer to the finish line. The amount of time and effort it took to make this country is incredible, but there were many failures on the way. We are still pushing forward and trying to make a better tomorrow. Onward and Upward.
I always feel like in this day and age, people don't want to admit they are wrong or considered themselves as failures. But I'm not sure if it's because they have a narrow mind set or if this something they were taught as they age or if it's a secondhand nature.There's always this competitive spirit of being better than others or prove ourselves to be the best to gain more reputation.If we try to live life knowing something isn't wrong than we don't know if there's other option or opportunity that can benefit everyone.
DeleteI think it is very sad that some of the most successful people are some of the most depressed. One thing that I find hard for those people is that they can have everything they want but can never really find happiness.
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Thursday commented on Brittney Sherrell's post (1 point)
Do you think even the happiest people think of themselves as failures?
ReplyDeleteYes, I feel like even the happiest people think of themselves as failures because even the happiest people can have a bad day. Even in reality, the wealthy celebrities and others who we view as "at the top" can be sad and disappointed with themselves because they are not at the level they wish to be in. Wanting more and not being content with what they have and where they are in life. Many individuals have emotions of greed and have a hunger that keeps them going. For example, a person who was an amazing scholar in grade school, did great in college, gained degrees, and has a great career, may still be disappointed in themselves because they would like to gain something even better or more rewarding. Also, people who are now famous and rich may be disappointed in themselves because they are not able to be where they are, with people who they have lost and are not able to be around anymore. This sadness could be carried by the individual for a long or short time that causes them to wish they were in a different position than they are in now. They feel like they are failures because they were not able to still be with those people. This happens to many of the happiest people in the world and I feel like it is a tragic thing to see. Especially when they are young. Therefore, when it comes to the question on the happiest people feeling or looking at themselves as failures. I think it is something can and does happen a lot.
I agree! No one is perfect and even if they are financially stable they might mental problems or health problems. Another thing is failures are different for everyone and what you consider a failure could be someone else's greatest accomplishment!
DeleteI agree with you completely. I also agree that it is sad to see young people feel that pressure, even though they have a whole lifetime to improve.
DeleteI think that there are many people out there that truly are happy and think of themselves as being successful.
DeleteShould we "always look of the bright side"? 62
ReplyDeleteI, personally, believe people have got to start learning how to be more optimistic with pretty much everything in life. Before I was properly diagnosed with GAD and depression, I was one of the most pessimistic people you could meet; I never saw how a situation could have a better, brighter side to things, meaning that I was literally unable to see a clear future for anything and everything, no matter how big or small. Once I was able to attend therapy and began taking lexapro, I found that I was able to see through a less foggy lens on life and daily instances; if something didn't work out the first time, like say, a bad grade on a paper, I learned to realize that I would be able to revise it and make it even better afterwards. I was able to start looking on the bright side, therefore, seeing the world as not a total global evil - rather, I gained the ability to see the good in everything. By doing so, I was able to grow as a person - hence why I firmly believe looking on the bright side is so, so important for people to do, even on their darkest days.
I agree with you to some degree. Looking at the bright side is an amazing trait to hold, but with that said you need to also be able to look at the dark side and evaluate what's wrong. Thus, balance is the key to life.
DeleteI agree with you that viewing the world through the lenses of optimism is ideal as it will improve the quality of your limited time on Earth. As said by one of my favorite actors and comedians, Kevin Hart, that we now live in a world where it is popular to be negative. This certainly explains Twitter and other culturally damaging social media outlets. Life is good, appreciate the beauty that surrounds you.
DeleteI agree with you. I have also gone to therapy, and it has helped me be able to do the same thing. It is very helpful to be able to see the realities of situations, and be able to focus on the positive aspects of it rather than the negative.
DeleteI totally agree with you. I also think that when you look at the bright side of things, you will start to feel better emotionally and physically. you'll feel more motivated and happy.
DeleteBrittany, thank you for sharing your personal story. You have come a long way just to do that and your story can help others who don't feel comfortable talking about what they have experienced. I think William James would agree with you that life is worth living. I like your perspective on how to view negative events like a bad grade and work to improve your paper. I like to think of myself as a realistic optimist. I also think about all of the people suffering today because of this pandemic. I am much more fortunate than they, so it is easy for me to be more optimistic even as I deal with cancer than they are worried about where their next meal will come from, if they will have health insurance, or if they will shortly be homeless. I am optimistic to hope that things will get better for all of those who are suffering today, but I know there are still difficult days ahead here and around the world and that sadly many people will not survive.
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Brittney, i just wanted to say i can relate to you in regards to depression and going to therapy. I too was a very pessimistic person until i got older and started going to therapy. It's so important to try to put on that lens of positivity for me each day, as it should be for everyone. Thank you for sharing:)
DeleteLooking at life through positivity is sometimes the best thing that we can do.
DeleteI agree, we should look at in it in a brighter way. Instead of just look at the bad way. I hope can see that instead of thinking negative thoughts in their heads. We all need to learn that today.
DeleteThank you for this lovely post, Brittney.
DeleteI do agree, that everyone needs to be able to stop and smell the roses, and put on those amazing rose-colored glasses - including myself!
I think it's important to acknowledge both the good and the bad, but I do agree that we should always try to focus more on the good.
Great post. :)
As someone who was once considered to be the most pessimistic person to my former classmates, I found that needing to look on the bright side of places was necessary not just for my well-being but for everyone else. I used to push out people and it only made me more and more depressed. I felt like I was in a constant cycle until I managed to talk to someone. Since then, I've always manage to pull up my rose-colored glasses once in awhile. Especially with this year. Thank you so much for sharing your story.
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ReplyDelete•
• Do you think the world is "fated" and not "Panglossian"? 43
I am a religious person and as a Muslim I believe that the world is fated, and everything is predestined. Every action you take was already written before you were born. Moreover, we also believe that your afterlife is predestined as well. However, this does not mean we don’t have freedom. Many people confuse freedom and fate. We believe God has given us the freedom to make our own choices, but he already knew all the actions we would take.
• Does feeling good ever make you feel bad? 51
It depends on the situation. Most of the time I feel good because I achieved a small goal or task, I set for myself. Say for example I studied for an exam and I passed with an A, I would feel amazing because my efforts paid off. On the other hand, say if I stole all the money a homeless man had yes I would be able to buy something, but I would feel bad because he has nothing left. The point I am trying to raise is that you feel good because of your efforts and not the result (most of the time) or to phrase it better your results make you feel better if you actually put in the effort. Its just like that saying- you will know the value in every drop of water once you start carrying it.
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grand total 65/65
I agree with you on the second response. it depends on the situation. if we achieve something on our own, the happiness is real. but if we took someone's advantage to gain happiness, that wouldn't last more than an hour or so, and then we start feeling bad for the person who we took advantage of.
DeleteI agree with your responses. Adding to the second question, I do believe good and bad are both relative and are different according to every person. But I do agree that it is situational and depends on what is considered good and bad to the person and circumstance.
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Total points (including this week, not including midterm): 65
Weekly Essay (+3 points):
For this essay, I will respond to two questions which will be naturally discussed. Did you play with guns, as a child? Do you own a gun? Why? As a child, I was very hyper active and often ran around, climbed trees, pelted rocks, played outdoor games with friends, and yes, played with guns. Nerf guns and Airsoft guns of-course as one does not merely "play" with real guns (if such behavior exists, the parents are the ones at fault here). I remember being obsessed with war, weapons, fight strategy, and much more and it is quite possible that it was because of my athletically oriented life. My father taught me boxing and wrestling and the fundamentals of self-defense along with my brother. Perhaps I have developed a vigilance for the necessity of the primitive nature of humans, one that we often forget in our privileged modern society where we hardly think of our own safety and the safety of others. Now, myself, I do not own a gun, but my father does and I plan to own a gun in the near future. My goal is to apply for a conceal carry license and educate myself more on the basics of being a responsible citizen. A gun is a tool that can be used for purposes determined by the individual wielding the tool. My purposes for my future plans to own guns lie in self defense, the protection of others, hunting, and for entertainment as I do take interest in such things. I believe that responsible gun ownership and the values of the second amendment need to be emphasized to the future generations to come and I hope that I can make a difference as much as I can.
I think it makes sense to have purpose of using a gun for entertainment and self defense. The privileges in modern society overshadows the health and safety of others, and I guess that's why it's difficult to moderate gun safety laws, I think the main issue is the accessibility of guns and trying to keep it out of the wrong hands, whether it be an accident or the intent to kill or harm others.
DeleteSimon, thank you for the post. When I was young, I used to play with toy guns with cork stoppers that would pop out. I grew up on a farm and we had access to guns for hunting. We hunted to put food on the table and didn't have extra money to waste on too much practice, but I learned almost tragically twice how dangerous guns can be. I was deer hunting with my father and we knew where each was except this one time and I was walking along a ditch with piled up mounds of dirt that were overgrown with weeds and brush. I did not know that my dad was on the other side of the mounds. I took a running leap to get to get to the top of the mound and a deer leaped up in front of me and I shot without thinking about where my dad was and the deer ran right passed him and his gun jammed before he could get off a shot. I could have shot my dad. The other time my parents left me home to go visit some neighbors and I thought I heard something outside so I went and got the automatic shotgun and loaded it. I failed to check to see if the safety was on when I closed the pump and it went off. My little dog was smarter than I was, he moved from a spot in from of the couch just seconds before. The shot would have killed him. Fortunately, it just put a hole in the wood that decorated the base of the couch. My dad replaced the wood and restored it so that no one would notice it, but I never forgot. I now have that couch as a reminder of what if means to not learn safe use of a gun. My brother used to teach gun safety, unfortunately, that was long after these events. I encourage anyone who buys a gun go through an extensive safety course. Sadly, some people with guns should have not them. People who have been convicted of crimes and people who have mental health issues. Some people who are depressed use a gun to end their life and unlike a drug overdose that they may be saved from if caught in time, people rarely survive a gunshot wound and more people are killed by people they know than by intruders depending on where you live.
DeleteMy dad also taught me how to use a gun responsibly when I was a lot younger - course I never was allowed to use it alone, for obvious reasons, but it showed me that you really do need a strong sense of maturity and responsibility to even own a gun. Like Don said in his reply, I don't think people with a crime record should be allowed to own a firearm; it's just asking for something bad to happen, you know?
DeleteI was raised similar to you Simon, and I would say many men in the united states share these core attributes and skills, including self-defense, athleticism, proper gun safety, and self responsibility.
DeleteDo you ever feel "divided"? (Are you a polymath like WJ? Or "philosophically stuck"?) 2
ReplyDeleteI hope this makes sense, sorry if I'm rambling since I'm going through this phase at the moment.
I would say yes, I have always felt like I'm 'divided', I think there's some point when we are low sometimes we would write to ourselves, imagine ourselves talking to someone, or we are talking out loud as if we are two difference people.I'm not saying it's like an identity crisis, but it's like form of expression to speak our minds out. What I have learned in sociology is the different types of status or roles we place ourselves, while in my family I'm the daughter and also younger sibling.In school I'm a student or if I'm working at the salon I'm the manicurist.Sometimes when I draw or play games, I always analyze the flaws or the detail that makes the whole picture, but sometimes I question," what lens am I wearing or how should I approach this situation, does this affect what I believe or know?" I guess you can say it's a form of contemplating, because you have to fight the facts,bias,and opinions before forming an answer.There's just a lot on our minds that makes you think about yourselves like health,money, religion, and entertainment. But then you factor in outside problems like, climate change, government policies,bills. I guess to some this it's more like, "how do we position ourselves in the different bubbles?"
Weekly Essay 3+
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Cole Walker +1
66/65
Section 10
I like your perspective on this. Personally, I am a student, a nursing major, a Christian, a daughter, an older sister, a younger sister, and so many other categories. I think you can also get super specific, such as, I am a student in a philosophy course. Each of these roles I approach in a different way, and I never specifically recognized that they are divisions of me, but that is exactly what they are.
DeleteWould it be bad if all your wishes "were fulfilled as soon as they arose"? 23
ReplyDeleteI agree with what was described in the text. In "Sick Souls, Healthy Minds", John Kaag provides the hypothesis of philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, who says that if men are given everything that they need, they will fill the need of working with danger and discomfort. I agree, as I believe that many people who never experience the need to work likely feel a sense of emptiness. To fill this emptiness, I agree that many people turn to dangerous activities and substances to try to feel more alive. I think that some people can do well even with never having to work, but many people will feel meaningless if they do not have to work to survive. While people strive for this later in life, I think that it is important to, at least at some point in your life, know what it means to need to work to survive.
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I would agree that it would be bad for every wish to be granted, but I don't think rich people need to learn how to work to survive. This is because there are a lot of wants that aren't materialistic. I do agree that rich non-working people might have a greater tendency to feel empty, but I don't think simply working to survive would fix that problem. For me it seems that people who work to survive can just ignore the emptiness because they don't have as much time to stop and think about life.
DeleteI agree that it would become harmful for all of our wishes and deepest desires to come true and be granted. People who have the opportunity to do this can result in an unhealthy life overall.
Deletewonderful post! when it comes to the issue of men/women needing to work, i always refer to one of my favorite films "kill bill vol 2." as michael mann's character explains "do you know what the number one killer of old people? Retirement." this, in my opinion, is a great allegory to this thesis. while some people will say that it would be preferable to simply gain everything we desire immediately , i disagree. what is a story without conflict? the same thing as a life without work-- unfulfilling
DeleteReally good post and take on that question! It’s like that saying “idle hands are the devils workshop”. I think people need work for a sense of fulfillment. I know personally that how I feel after I’ve earned something from hard work is a much better feeling than just being handed that same item.
DeleteGreat job.
DeleteJust to add another thing to your post - I would say it would, also, make you unhappy, because then you wouldn't have anything to wish for, hope for, or look forward to.
If a child ended up getting all of their Christmas presents immediately after they wished for it, I would imagine they would be a bit sad when Christmas Day rolled around, and they didn't have anything underneath the tree to open.
I think that we only have this connection to our jobs because we live in such a capitalist Society. In a world that doesn't have jobs or even in other countries where capitalism isn't so ingrained in everything people find reasons to feel fulfilled without having to sell your labor.
DeleteShould we "always look of the bright side"? 62
ReplyDeleteObviously, as the book stated, we shouldn’t only look for the bright side, but I do believe we should factor it into every situation. There is value at looking at the worst-case scenario and preparing for those things. This side should not be taken exclusively either as that would lead to a very sad and stressful life. That being said, looking at the range of possibilities that could come from one’s situation would be the most beneficial way to live. For example, let’s say that you are five points below a C in a class that requires you get a C, or you have to retake the class. Your final exam is coming up and it is your last and only chance to get a C. In order to get the C, you need at least a 94% on the exam and you have struggled to get at best a B- all semester. In this situation there are a few options. When looking at the bright side, you could plan to study for a few hours every day and plan that your professor will make this exam easier. When looking at the worst-case scenario, you could give up, skip your final exam, and accept that you’ll have to retake the course. I believe that the person in this situation would benefit most from the combined approach of studying for a few hours every day and preparing to retake the course. I’m definitely an advocate (in situations like this) to hope for the best but prepare for the worst. But in some cases, there should be an emphasis on the bright side and in others an emphasis on preparing for the worst-case scenario. Each event is situational, and, in my example, I would say that it would be better to focus more on the bright side because it would help motivate you to study.
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I really like your response to this question. The bright side can be very helpful for us to look at but we should also be realistic about life. I like the example you used about school. This approach can help us see that we could potentially do well we just need to try. I also think it would be helpful most of the time to look at the bright side. But we also need to pay attention to the situation we are in and the realities of the situation.
DeleteI like your response to this question and the example of working hard for an exam. I agree with you that the person should look at the problem with a combined approach. However I feel that if you look at the pessimistic side too much it will affect how you are feeling and then it is more likely to get a bad grade.
DeleteLove your example with taking an exam! Very practical! I thinks it’s important for people to look at things realistically, but not lose sight of a positive outcome. I think that looking at things pessimistically can definitely give people a “quitters” attitude because the it’s like “what’s the point”?
DeleteI enjoyed your example and the duality of looking from both perspectives; I agree. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst is a model that I was raised and thrived on in my life. Though I'm always am hesitant to let the universe know that "things could be worse" because it has a funny way of listening and proving you wrong. Haha
DeleteAutumn Daniel
ReplyDeletePHIL 1030-10
Question:Do you own a gun? Why?
I do not own a gun because I don't particularly like them and I have no use for one. To elaborate on that- I know that many people hunt for food and that is understandable but i feel like it’s wrong to kill animals for sport. There’s no real reason for it and I don't see how killing animals could be considered fun (my personal opinion). I also think there should be more gun laws in place so things like school shootings don’t happen. I often hear the argument that it’s the person that’s bad and not the gun, which is true to an extent. Although the gun can’t walk up and shoot someone, it enables those who do want to walk up and shoot someone. I’m not saying they should take all guns away, but no one needs an automatic or even semi-autmoatic weapon and there needs to be more laws in place for preventative measures. I also hear the argument that just because there’s laws, doesn’t mean they can’t be broken. This is also true but when other countries have had mass shootings (for example, Australia)- they have created stricter gun laws and as a result there has been a proven decrease in homicides/gun violence in general. By the end of 2019, there were 419 recorded mass shootings according to data from the non-profit gun violence archive. It would only make sense to take action after 419 shootings in one year.
Question:Do you agree with Jennifer Michael Hunt? (refer to the questions to read the quote)
I do agree with Jennifer Michael Hunt. The human experience is strange and differs for everyone. Historically, suicide has always had a negative stigma attached to it. I’ve heard it being called “selfish”,”weak”,etc... The truth is, life can be exhausting, miserable, and seemingly pointless at times.Differentiating these temporary struggles and hardships from a “this is how it will always be” mindset is insanely difficult. Especially when so many people are suffering from mental illness. One in four people in the world have had or currently have some form of mental illness. There’s so many unexplainable reasons why someone might not want to continue living. However, we all just subconsciously want to feel happy, loved, and fulfilled. Those who feel suicidal don’t actually want to leave this world, they want to get out of their current situation and avoid more suffering. It is presented as an easy option, but it’s a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Even if the first half of your life is unbearable, the second half could be filled with success and love and happiness. The thing is, when you’re in that unbearable place in your life, it’s hard to imagine that second half. It does in fact take courage to not give up. We all have to do as Hunt said and cherish what happiness we do find, as well as remember the endless possibilities that life has. Despite the difficulties, life can be a beautiful experience if we let it. No one has to be perfect or achieve more than everyone else, you can just be here and that’s enough. None of us will truly know how others perceive us and none of us can see the future- but that’s part of being alive. We have to accept the things we can’t control and push through all the bad even if it seems impossible, but most importantly we must choose to stay.
I also feel a similar way about guns. I do not particularly like them myself and do believe there should be more gun laws. There is so much gun violence here in America and I feel laws could help. I like your comparison to Australia. I also understand hunting for food but I do not agree with hunting purely as a sport. I also enjoyed reading your response to the second question. I like how you said suicidal people don't really want to leave the world they just want to get out of their current situation. They feel the only way to escape their situation is through suicide. I really liked your responses to these questions.
DeleteHello Autumn I also wrote about if I own a gun or not. However I liked reading your post and I didnt even think to write about the other side of guns which is hunting. I can't agree with your opinion more as in hunting should be for eating and not for a sport. I think killing animals for fun should be illegal and I feel its very wrong!
DeleteHonestly, if there were just better, more thorough laws in place for gun ownership, I would feel a lot safer in life. I remember when, not even 2-4 years ago, I would often hear of a school shooting, club shooting, or a threat on the news - we allowed it to literally become a norm. Even now my family doesn't feel safe with putting my little brother back into public school because of how little we trust the system to properly protect him and other kids.
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Deleteresponse to Don Enss +1
response to Brittney Sherrell +1
I think suicide is terrible. It is sad because it is easily preventable, there are infinitely more reasons for a person to live than to purposefully die.
DeleteThis week in class we stumbled across the question: “is hope a choice?”. Frankly, at first, I was a bit applied by the question. “of course, it is not! Hope is something that everyone has and holds dear!” I would answer, but as I looked at the world around me, I realized how short sighted it would be for me to just assume that everyone would share the same sentiments as me. For many people look at the world as purely material, holding nothing beyond what we choose to create. It’s upon this reflection that I see all the terrible things that people do to themselves and others and feel a great sense of empathy and sympathy. The idea that everything can and probably will go wrong (I.E. murphy’s law.). The thought that someone does not believe in the idea of hope makes me incredibly sad is something that I honestly cannot condone. How could we ever even have the thought of a better future if it is not possible, I do not carry these same believes within myself As a Christian, I know that eventually, everything will one day be much better than they are today. I have always used the Chris Isaak lyric “I believe that someday I’m going to find my way, I believe in a beautiful day. Maybe not for me… maybe not for you, but I believe.” To explain my stance on this world. Perhaps I will not ever be satisfied with life, or perhaps my life will be cut short by some terrible unforeseen circumstance, but one day, one that I may very well never see—everything will be ok.
ReplyDeleteHI Nicolas. Your post is very deep and I like that you looked at the question from your perspective and then gradually move to an everybody perspective. I think the positive outlook of fake it til you make it might override Murphy's law (maybe). I think hope is just a choice for some people but for me it is kind of just my personality.
DeleteWould it be bad if all your wishes "were fulfilled as soon as they arose"?
ReplyDeleteI think this would be a bad thing. I think so because if things were fulfilled immediately we would eventually run out of things we would want. But if we actually have to work to achieve our dreams this puts in place a reason for us to want to keep going in life. Many people work hard at their jobs because they have a dream to achieve by working. If this person got all of their wishes granted they would eventually have "nothing to live for". I feel like this also goes along with the saying "money can't buy happiness". Many of the most successful and rich people are the most depressed people in life. Look at Robin Williams, he had a very successful career but in the end he wasn't happy. William James was also a spoiled child and he had the same thoughts. Even though he was given so many things in life he still contemplated suicide. I think wanting to achieve our dreams gives us a reason to keep pushing in life. If we were given everything, we would eventually see there is nothing left to make us happy.
Do you think even the happiest people think of themselves as failures?
I feel the happiest people do see themselves as failures. People like this may seem happy on the outside but are internally displeased with themselves. I feel sometimes the hardest person to please is our self. We always feel like we could have done better or we could have worked harder on something. No matter how happy someone is, they could be not proud of themselves at the end of the day. Even if someone seems happy, they may think very low of themselves. True happiness is very hard to achieve so I feel no matter how happy someone may seem they will never see themselves as good enough.
section 11
weekly essay +3
Deletereplies to Autumn Daniel and Barbara Frizzell +2
65/65
I loved your view on both these questions. Robin Williams is a perfect example for both the questions.
DeleteThis was spot on good question the first question and the second. money can not buy happiness, you as a person need to know what excites you the most.
DeleteDo you own a gun? Why?
ReplyDeleteNo, I don’t own a gun because I don’t want a gun in my home-that is more responsibility than I am willing to assume for no real benefits. I personally think that having a gun in the home increases the possibility of harm to people in that home exponentially. I don’t hunt, shoot recreationally, and have no interest in doing any of those things. I don’t live in a remote area away from help, or live in an unsafe neighborhood. I haven’t had anybody break into my home, and even if they did, I fail to see how I’d be able to use the gun given that usually the perpetrator has the element of surprise. Leaving the gun out means the intruder can get to it before I can. Storing it makes it useless in the event of a break in. lastly, I think I have better things to do with my time and money than investing in any weapon.
Essay+3
Responded to Brittney Sherrell+1
Responded to Ammar Idris+1
Hello Khushi! I also wrote about if I own a gun. I do not own a gun however one day I possibly would if I knew how to use it. I would agree that owning a gun comes with a lot of responsibility and care. I also agree that it increases the possibility of harm to your home.
DeleteI have never really thought about owning a gun in my own house and I think you have an interesting approach to the subject. I agree that a lot comes with owning a gun, like responsibility and a different kind of care and concern.
DeleteI'm gonna have to agree that owning a gun isnt in the best intrest in the overall community as a whole. Nice post.
Delete-I think that if a person has an interest in gunmanship, a background check and a permit to own a gun, then they should be free to do so. I do understand the paranoia with just everyone
Deletebeing allowed to own guns, and I think periodic background checks of gun owners should do some good. Taking away all forms of gun ownership will just make people want them more. Great post though.
I think you have an interesting approach to this subject. I would agree that owning a firearm takes a new level of responsibility, but I am not sure about some of your reasonings for not owning a gun, specifically having it out in the event of a home invasion. First off, an intruder would have to know you have a firearm to be looking for it lying around, and secondly, they would have to know the exact location of it, knowledge that you posses, which makes me wonder how they would get to a weapon before you. Just some logical questions to think about.
DeleteI have to agree with you as owning a firearm would stress me out a ton. Owning one takes a ton of responsibility and while everyone in America does have the right to bare arms, I don't always agree that everyone is capable or responsible enough to own one.
DeleteI picked two questions to write about. The two questions I picked are; Do you own a gun? Why? The second question is; Are you afraid of GMOs and vaccines?
ReplyDeleteDo you own a gun?
I personally do not own a gun however, my parents, brother and boyfriend own some. I have nothing against guns but for myself guns just scare me and I do not know them well enough to have them. I think anyone who owns a gun should have to go to a gun class on how to use it, how to load it and how to store it away properly. I think guns are a great thing to have for protection and safety if you know how to use it. I have thought about getting a gun carrying permit however I would want to go to several classes on how to use it and how to have it with no one seeing it.
Are you afraid of GMOs and vaccines.
I am not afraid of GMOs or vaccines I think they are very important however I think when it comes to children doctors give them way too many vaccines and I would only have my child have the most important vaccines. For example I have only got the flu shot once and the one time I got it I ended up getting the flu that year.
Essay +3
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Total +5
I also agree if you're gonna be an owner of a weapon you should go to a class first. I also believe the classes should be harder and more limited then just taking a class and handing licenses out. You just never know who and what their capable of doing. I believe in certain vaccines not all of them because the same scenario I got the flu shot and on the same year I got it again. But I can say this covid vaccine I'm not planning on being one of the firsts to take it because who knows if it's effective or just gonna backfire.
DeleteShould we "always look of the bright side"? 62
ReplyDeleteIs there wisdom in "fake it 'til you make it"? 64
I am finding Sick Souls, Healthy Minds to be an interesting and informative book but it has a more pessimistic outlook on life than I do. I always tend to look at the Brightside first. I am generally happy, expect to work hard, and hope that good comes from my efforts. Being pessimistic won't solve anything and wont make my task any easier. Sure everything is not always perfect but why spend my time thinking about that instead of moving on to the next challenge. When times are tough then you must adapt to them or fake it ‘til you make it. The author says “Acting as if the world is a welcoming and tender place occasionally has the effect of making it more so” (SSHM 62). I think that there is a welcoming place for everyone and you just need to take the time to find that place that lets you in and makes you feel comfortable and a part of it. For me, in high school, that welcoming place was color guard. The marching band community made me happy and made me feel fulfilled. I was able to take that contentment and success and apply it to other areas in my life and it made me happier and more successful in those things too. Maybe it was kind of like with William James when he found love and belonging with Alice then he was able to find more contentment with other areas of his life. The author John Kaag's suggestion to “Just do it” is good advice because worry, indecision, despair, or negativity are unnecessary and will not get you closer to your goal (SSHM 65). He says if you make “yourself to act in a certain manner, and your volition may alter, in positive ways, the state affairs” (SSHM 64). So he is saying attitude can be the deciding factor in success. So why not think positively and maybe you will end up with positive results.
Interesting take on the question but I have to dissagree on the idea of always being optimistic. For some of us it isnt always that easy and I think that is what the book is trying to convey.
DeleteWeekly Essay
DeleteCommented on Nicolas Smith November 19, 2020 at 12:26 PM
Commented to Barbara Frizzell November 19, 2020 at 4:07 PM
Grand Total 66 (without the Midterm Blogpost)
• If humans are animals, do we have no soul? 31
ReplyDeletePersonally, I have thought a lot about this due to my crisis of faith. I now have to think very seriously about what I actually believe. I need to ask myself what makes the most sense logically based on what I have observed based on my knowledge so far. Humans and animals are biologically the exact same thing, science has proved as much. If I believed humans had a supernatural essence logical that would dictate that animals have the same thing. I have to say, what I read in religious text that has come to be known as a “soul” isn’t very compelling. If I truly believe that God exists outside of space and time and has no contact with humans than I have to believe that the idea of the soul is made up. However, I feel like it is safe to say that matter exists, and the matter of a living thing is somewhat special to me. I mean this in a sentimental fashion, theoretical science says that matter might find its way back to the origin point if the universe collapses. I think I can find some comfort in this, if you want to call a sentimental attachment to specific matter a soul than I do think every living thing has a soul. But if we are using the religious definition of a soul in this question than I have to say no. I don’t believe anything has a soul and I am okay with that.
well i have to admit, this is a very sobering post. i am going to have to disagree with your definition of soul vs matter. i feel that the difference in animal behavior vs human behavior is startling -- animals always seen to have the same goal, survival. whereas humans have a vast aray of desires and beliefs (as seen in this class) i believe that it is this "soul" that is the difference between humans. lions have only only occupation, whereas humans have millions. all from practical (craftsmen and physical workers.) and impractical ( actors and musicians). but as a christian, i believe that we have a soul. awesome post! thank you for being so open
Delete-If we don't have a soul and are no different than animals then why don't we act completely on instinct? You may say that humans do but as our friend pointed out in the above comment, how do we have intentions, ideas, emotions, attachments, and reflections. I think all of these prove that we are far above animals, if not that we have a soul. I respect your opinion, but I personally cannot look at the magnificence of the human race, even in all it's chaos and mess and think that we're all just a bunch of mater floating through time and space. Humanity has accomplished so much over the time that it has been on earth, and I would be hard-pressed to attribute that to evolution. Thanks for your thoughts though.
DeleteCommented on khushi's post (1 point)
DeleteCommented on Bailey's post (1 point)
Mini Essay complete (3 points)
Do you think even the happiest people think of themselves as failures?
ReplyDeleteI believe to some extent, everyone thinks of themselves as failures at one point in life. If not this, there can be a moment or period of time in life where one is low and thinks they are not good enough for a person, job, or even to live. I also believe there is a difference in feeling like you are a failure, than knowing it is to be true in your life. Most and usually all of the time, we feel we are not good enough and are failures in life, but in reality it is an illusion we create in our minds. This can even be categorized as overgeneralizing, which is a common cognitive distortion. We often overgeneralize the situation in our thoughts, think we are complete failures, and “know” in our minds for that to be true. In truth, we were just having a bad day, or didn’t do as well as we wanted or thought we would. I believe to achieve joyfulness in life and the happiest people to live, show a sense of not caring. Not in the sense of being apathetic or disinterested, but simply not minding what other people think, and not letting the small mistakes or “failures” in life beat them down. I believe the people that show and live this out everyday and often, become happier people. Although I do think this, I believe even the happiest people still have days where failure still feels very real and true in their own life.
weekly essay: 3+
Deletecomments on Khushi Patel: 1+
Kimmie Steakley: 1+
Ammar Idris: 1+
you did a really good job at explaining your view. it is very hard to think that the happiest people consider themselves as failures when we have seen in past many great people take their lives because they were unhappy with themselves. A lot of people we think are happy can be very unhappy with themselves.
DeleteI agree with you. Its okay to fail in some point in life. You have to get back on that hoarse again and keep trying again. People need to learn that life is not perfect in the world we leave in or see it. Accept who you are and love yourself.
DeleteI agree with what you have to say. I think that at one point or another we need to experience failure in order to learn and get better but also being able to get back up and not dwell on that specific failure.
DeleteThis is a great post! Failure is what motivates you to become better so I totally agree with the stance you took on this post.
DeleteAre you afraid of GMOs or vaccines?
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I am not afraid of GMO’s just because the FDA has put limitations to make sure everyone stays healthy. However, I do believe everything should already be organic its 2020 there should already be a way to produce non GMO products efficiently and affordable for everyone’s use because at the end of the day we should all be able to enjoy fresh products. With me being a broke college kid, I am still going to eat my GMO produced apple LOL. Vaccines, however, are a different story. I have only received the vaccines that I needed to be accepted into my dorm/school. I stopped getting Flu vaccines when I was 13 due to the fact of me getting the Flu right after. After that happened, I started gaining more knowledge about vaccines, and that is when I found they basically readminister the virus in you, so your body can fight it off. I know it might be a smart idea to get vaccines, but I have only caught the Flu when I received the vaccine. I rather live how I’m living without it than get the vaccine and catch it.
Section- #12
Essay- (+3)
Commented on Mason Schoonover (+1)
Commented on Ammar Idris (+1)
Total points- (+50) (not Including Midterm
Did you get the nasal spray for the flu vaccine by chance as that is the only flu vaccine that gives a live albeit weakened version of the virus? The shot however is a dead virus that your body builds an immune response to. Of course their are more than one strain of the flu virus out there and the vaccine administered each year is for the one that statistically will be the most prevalent that season. I'm sorry you caught a type of the virus even with a vaccine but I wouldn't be so quick to give up on them for the reasons you put forth alone.
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2 comments
kimmie steakley
nate carley
I am sorry that you got the flu right after the vaccine. I've had the flu shots many of times and I have not gotten the flu. I am sorta afraid of GMO's because of the pros and cons it can have on the other people. I know that I want to eat healthier but the price of eating healthy like at Whole Foods or Trader Joe's can be sort of expensive verse going to Walmart and getting a most cheap items.
DeleteI remember hearing the news of Sandy hook as a child. I was in fifth grade and I remember thinking how a person could do such a horrible thing. It makes you wonder what that person must have gone through and what they were thinking and why they had to choose to do that particular act. I was too young to fully understand the whole gun debate and it seemed to me that the man that committed the act was beyond sick. With the question being posed why didn’t sandy hook change everything, I would say because everyone was split on the matter. It was either you can’t take away guns from people because you need guns to defend yourself form people like Adam Lanza, or people need better opportunities to help their mentally, or guns need to be taken away completely. You would think that people would want to actually have some type of change to take place after this horrible event, but I think people were so split on what should change that there was nothing done. I do strongly agree that there needs to be a better outlet for people struggling with mental health and a better understanding of it being okay for getting help. There are some people who are too pro-gun and too many that do not care for a big change, like taking guns away, to happen.
ReplyDeleteWeekly Essay +1
Comment (Kate Allen) +1
Comment (Anna Collins) +1
Overall: 65/65
Section 12
I remember hearing about Sandy Hook from my mom before. I totally agree with your opinions though and I would also like to add that your response was very spot on and very detailed! Keep up the great work Kiera :)
DeleteI agree with what you said about it being a horrible thing.
Delete-Have you ever survived death?
ReplyDeletePersonally, I have been very blessed to not ever have come close to death, or a major near death experience. My brother had an experience like this at one point in my childhood. My family and I were visiting my grandmother, who lives on our small family farm before we lived in TN. I was probably 7-8 years old and I was doing 7-8 year old things like playing in the dirt in the backyard. My younger brother was inside, and my older brother had crossed the fence onto the farm to take a walk where all of the wild horses were. I was playing in the backyard when I heard my brother scream. I ran around the barn to get view of what happened, and I saw all of the horses running wildly as if they had been spooked. My brother was barley staying on his feet, holding his arm which had been hurt and crying hysterically. Apparently when he had approached the horses, they had become spooked and the closest one kicked him. I brought him inside where my family helped to patch his arm up where he had been kicked. We looked at the place where he was hit and realized that when the horse kicked, my brother had raised his arm in a way that saved his life. If he had not raised it, he would have been hit in the chest. My grandmother told us stories of young farmhands that she had known through the years, getting kicked like that and it always killed them instantly. I know that if my brother had not raised his arm, he would absolutely not be here today. This may seem like a minor and rather unorthodox tale of a near death experience, but it is a strange feeling knowing how close I was to watching my brother almost die.
-Essay (3 pts)
Delete-Reply to Khushi Patel (1 pt)
-Reply to Nate Carley (1 pt)
55/65 points total
I am glad that he is still alive and is well and you too. You really did nail this out of the park. Its kind of weird that in our young age that we have to experience death in some point in our life
DeleteNovember 16-17: Prologue of Sick Souls, Healthy Minds: How William James Can Save Your Life; Chapter 1
ReplyDeleteQuestion: Do you think even the happiest people think of themselves as failures? I am a firm believer in being happy even when you think you are a failure. I am a happy person on the outside and inside but there are times when I get into my moments of being sad, irritated, annoyed, stressed, angry and many other emotions. I know when I am going to take a test, I psych myself out on being a failure and not doing the best I can even though I put my time into the studying the days prior. I have to tell myself out-loud that I am not a failure and that I will pass this course and make a decent grade but sometimes end up with a 50 or 60% and I just blame myself on not studying hard enough. I have to take study breaks in order to process all the information, I am not a pro like some people who are great at taking test when they do not have to study. I have to make myself notecards or write it down several times, in the end I do good when someone reviews with me but I try my best to show my professors that I am capable of not letting my inner mind take over my body when it comes to test and my other subject courses.
November 18-19 Chapter 2: Sick Souls, Healthy Minds: How William James Can Save Your Life; Question: Have you ever "survived dying"? Yes, I remember very clearly of when I survived dying and it was at the FitClub and I was watching my instructor perform the next lesson that she teaching to me and other kids in the pool. We had all grabbed floaties and we hopped back into the warm pool and kept our eyes on our instructor. Everyone had to preform the same swimming lesson she did and I on the other had attempted to do it myself without waiting and thats when I began to sink into the water and I screamed and called for help but the other kids were busy listening to the instructor. My step-dad was like "Do you not see my child is drowning" and the lady did not stop to save me at all, so my step-dad jumped in fully clothed and saved me and that was the most scary surviving death experience.
Weekly Essay +3
Commented on Kiera Riordan +1
Commented on Isaiah Bryanton +1
Overall:65/65
Section 12
I can relate to your test comment. Back then I thought that if I failed I was a failure or I thought that I was gonna fail a test so it made me end up being kinda nervous to take a test. U realized that when the day comes to take the test I can not do anything at the moment because it is too late so I should trust that no matter what happens I do what I know I am capable of doing.
DeleteI agree with you.
DeleteBetsy Akpotu
ReplyDeletePHIL-1030-010
Weekly Essay # 12
11/19/2020
If/when you propose marriage will you also give "arguments against accepting"? When I get propose marriage, I would not argue against accepting because that just a waist of time and energy. If I love a person that accepted my religion, respect my culture, and love my family and spend time with my children and me then we will have an awesome life and less argumentative. No matter what background that you come from. Have you ever "survived dying"? Yes, so me and my family went on a camping trip and I got lost in the woods, I was like eight years old and I did not have any equipment with me other than my backpack and in my backpack was water, flashlight, blanket, and matches. I was left in the woods for three weeks unit my mom found me at the gas station. My mom was very worried, and she almost call the police, but she knows that I would be alright because my uncle taught things at his farm. Do you think most mass killers are paranoid schizophrenics or psychotics? I think mass killers are both because think about the Ted Buddy case and the people who are paranoid schizophrenics right now in New York City. People need help for those things that people need to be in rehab. Would it be bad if all your wishes "were fulfilled as soon as they arose"? Yes, then I can go to sleep and do something else in life, but it’s also sad that I have not done it yet before it came and that means I did not do the hard work I accomplished to do in life when I was a child or teenager.
I agree it is a waste of time and there shouldn't be a reason not to accept if your plan is to marrying that significant person. I personally if I'm in love I shouldn't consider arguing on accepting. Also, I'm glad you're okay I wanna hear more of it like how did you find them or did they find you? Yes people do need help but I don't think their just psychotics maybe they where forced or a terrorist organization you just can't tell the real purpose that drove them for the mass killing. Lastly, it would be sad because if you can easily wake up and have all your wishes right in front of you then you don't have any real accomplishments.
DeleteDo you own a gun? Why?
ReplyDeletePersonally I don’t own any guns; however my husband owns several (to put it mildly). I do plan on getting one or more of my own, but they are a big investment and we are budget conscious. I think owning a gun is our 2nd amendment right. They are also good for home protection. My husband works nights which leaves me at home by myself; having a gun there does give me a sense of security, especially because I’ve been trained on how to use it and I’m comfortable with it. I think that is an important piece to owning a gun, is being knowledgeable and comfortable with using it. I know there are a lot of people that are against certain types of guns or guns in general. With my husband being a cop, I know that there will always be bad people out there with guns, and tightening gun laws will only affect good people going through the legal routes of obtaining a gun. Very simply, bad people will always be able to get guns because most of the time they are obtained illegally. Then I know for people who propose banning “certain types of guns”. My mammaw is actually one of those people, which is fine, I don’t argue. I believe in people’s rights to owning guns, but with that there definitely comes a big responsibility to be safe and smart with it.
I think you have nailed every concept for how to properly own a gun, in the argument that often takes place between the right to own guns its often people who act as you that are overlooked and people who get guns illegally and only get them for the purpose of violence are the ones that are focused on. Which is why the media always seems to negative towards guns.
DeleteEssay: 3 pts
DeleteResponses: Barbara Frizzell and Kimmie Steakley (2 pts)
You really take a fair approach to gun ownership. I think a lot of people are misled by sources such as the media, which often make claims about wanting to ban assault rifles, of which no such thing exists. The term assault rifle is political propaganda used to inspire fear and make weapons seem like something they are not. I know you do not use that word, but it jumped out to my while reading your post, which was beautifully constructed.
DeleteI do not think that the happiest people would call themselves failures I think that they would think of themselves as quite successful. At least from my point of view If I was the happiest I have ever been in my life I think I would count that as a win. I say this because if I worked toward finding what makes me happy and then I attain it why should I consider myself a failure? I did what I wanted and I attained it doesn’t mean I am the richest or the best it means that the goal that I had I achieved it and why shouldn’t I be happy.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that believing that life is worth living will make it become fact but for me. I really do not know how other people would feel about that. Some people try to believe that but then multiple bad things happen to them and then they do not think that it is. I think that no matter what happens life for me will always be worth living. There are so many things to do and to learn and to experience that why would I think that it was not worth living. I feel like saying that would set you up for a life full of regrets and I want to live a life (or at least try to) without any regrets. I also feel that if you are patient enough even a person that does not think that life is worth living can find something to make it at least a little worth while
Weekly Essay
Replied to Jurnee Holloway
Replied to Anna Collins
Does feeling good ever make you feel bad?
ReplyDeleteI think that all people on this earth deserve to be happy to the highest degree humanly possible. The issue that arises with gaining happiness is the various ways and methods people go about doing so. I would say that in most cases feeling happy never makes me feel bad, unless when my happiness is driven from somebody else's sadness or demise. In a way that is the worst form of happiness that anyone can ever achieve. For example, with the high level of competitiveness that I have often, sometimes when I win I still feel as though I am empty or left unsatisfied. But the only reason for the void left in myself is the fact that when I am cheering and running around after winning a soccer championship, it is often cut short by the view of the opposing team walking off the field in pure disappointment and sometimes sadness. Or even in a much simplified form when you and your friend take a test and you get a 100 and they fail it, you want to feel good about the score you earned. But at the same time some part of you feels horrible because your friend did not do as well. I often find myself putting myself in the shoes of other people, trying to force myself to feel as others do too. In this case I would say that feeling good does often lead to me feeling bad. The only way to truly feel good is when you are surrounded by a group of people who also feel the exact same as you do.
Post +3
DeleteResponse to Molly +1
Response to Anna Collins+1
Total 60/65
This is very interesting to see about you Michael. It shows that you are a true sportsman and play for the pleasure of the game instead of making others feel bad. I do admit there have been some teams that I have faced that I enjoy beating and seeing the sad look on their faces, but those teams are usually more disrespectful to my team first. And id like to add on the idea about the ways people try to make themselves happy and how many people have started doing it artificially with drugs and other things with soon wear off and then put them in a state of depression.
DeleteI really enjoyed your post, it reminds me of the movie Inside Out because you verbalize the multi-dimensionality of emotions. Even with things like test grades and soccer games, your emotions are also affected by your empathy for other people's sadness despite your own joy. When I read the question, I thought about it through the lens of depression (because that's what I deal with) where if I have a really good day, there's always either a tinge of sadness to accompany it despite there not being any issues whatsoever, or the next day will be a really sad day. I hadn't even thought about the social influence of our emotions like you explain here. Overall this is a great post, Michael.
DeleteDo you think even the happiest people think of themselves as failures?
ReplyDeleteI don’t think so. I feel like you can’t be happy if you think you are a failure. If you think you are a failure than you won’t go nowhere. You have to have the mentality of when you fail on something you move on and do better until you get to where you want to be happy. Even if they thought of themselves as failures that doesn’t stop them instead it pushes them to get better and get to where they want instead of letting that get into their head and stop them and make them think like they are never going to get to where they want to get to. So, you have to have that mentality to get to where you want to be happy. But I think that the happiest people don’t think themselves of failures because it just doesn’t work out. Except in one condition there might be people that we think that are the happiest people but that is to us. To them they think they are failures that’s why you see so many rich happy people commit suicide because they look at them selves as failures.
Total Points: 65/65
Reply to: Kiera Riordan(1pt)
Reply to: Jurnee Holloway(1pt)
I agree with you on the idea that someone can't be happy and also consider themselves failures. But I think that most people that seem very happy with their lives and don't seem to have a single problem are more than likely the people that are hardest on themselves.
DeleteBlake Hughes
ReplyDeleteSection 010
My Essay (+3)
Comments (+2): Brittney Sherrell & Kimmie Steakley
Overall Points: 65 (It’s the maximum amount of points each week, but I believe I have been able to keep track of it all)
Weekly Question #13:
“Do you think adulthood requires ‘selling your soul’?”
I strongly agree with this statement, but disagree with it, at the same time. I feel like the appropriate answer, is that it depends on the circumstances for each person, and what life path they decided to stroll down.
However, I think for just about anyone in college, they can agree with the fact that you are definitely sacrificing your soul for the damn degree, lol. I have the upmost confidence in agreeing with that statement, because I have said it *multiple* times myself.
Of course, going to school for your education is very important, and a huge privilege. But, often times, at least, to me, it really does feel like I have signed my soul away to the devil, and sacrifice so much for classes, and school.
When it’s during a school semester, often times, I do nothing but school. Corona has, actually, helped with that, by making everything online, and not having to get up early to get ready, drive and walk across campus for the commute time, etc. However, I have still missed out on so much, because I gave it up for the classes, and the grades. But, that was my choice, which brings me back to the question at hand; I believe the question has to be examined, for each person you ask, rather than one official, collective answer.
I’m sure I will feel different about life, once I’m finished with school. Yes, I’m still going to be busy with a job, and another life responsibilities, but I won’t have that extreme pressure that college puts on you.
I totally agree with your stance on college/school in general! It really feels like a lot of sacrifice of time and energy is made to make the grades. Though I do feel as you get older, reality is more of the thief rather than adulthood. I suppose the two could go hand-in-hand. I just remember sitting down and applying for student loans and realizing how expensive it sometimes can be. You're right, it really is a privilege. I think adulthood requires you to put a lot of dreams and experiences to the side in order to abide by the rules reality sets.
DeleteDoes Calvinism set an impossible task? Yes, I believe that for me Calvinism wouldn’t work because how can you believe that people are destined for heaven or hell before their even born. Because I believe that God gave us free will so it would kind of go against my whole Catholic upbringing. Also, it would kind of render the whole New Testament kind of pointless because if everyone was already destined for heaven or hell then who did Jesus come to save. Plus, the idea that you’ll know if your one of the chosen few then you’ll know because you’ll have a good easy life; to me it seems like a way to reenforce social classes and make moving through them harder.
ReplyDeleteWould it be bad if your wishes “were fulfilled as soon as they arose?” No, not at all people make it seem like living in a perfect world would be terribly boring as if boredom isn’t a problem that could also be wished away. I’m pretty sure that everyone secretly wants to live in a perfect world, we only accept that the world we are born into isn’t perfect and just like the central theme of Why Grow Up? we eventually give in and accept the world for what it is and what it might become. Show me someone who doesn’t want their problems to disappear and they get to spend all their time either with their loved ones or doing what the love, and ill show you someone who has lost touch with reality.
post 3
Deletereply to Kimmie 1
reply to mohap 1
I think I agree, when I first learned about Calvinism, I thought wow that seems like a bad idea, and then my teacher at the time told me "Yup, since everyone's fate is already determined, people just started doing anything they wanted." It's kinda similar to a Pascals wager type of situation, where there is just an obvious answer to lean to, like well if Im either going to heaven or going to hell no matter what I do, then Ill just do what I want while I'm alive because it wont effect the outcome.
DeleteI agree with you that Calvinism creates an impossible task. If a person is predestined to be a good person or a bad person before they are born then there would be no point in trying to live as a good person. It seems like the only difference they could make by going through the motions of being a good person if they were already destined to go to hell would be so that they could trick people around them into thinking they were one of the chosen good people.
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteDo you like WJ's answer to the question "Is life worth living?"
ReplyDeleteI feel as though William James gave this power to the word “maybe.” It seems to represent a lot of hope and possibility. Who knows if life is really worth living, but it COULD be. If anything, it invokes curiosity. Life from that point forward could totally suck, but you never really know until you try. I’m also a fan of how James highlights the individuality of life and living. Our experiences fit so uniquely together to make this one long stream of life, and “maybe certain lives are so impossible and unbearable that they are better off cut short” (Kaag 9). I like how open and raw and realistic James approaches the question. It feels as though he’s being honest.
Prior to this semester had you heard of William James?
My friend Zavier is a philosophy major at Harvard and he’s mentioned William James once or twice in conversation, but I’d never exclusively learned about him. From what we’ve read so far I think Sick Souls, Healthy Minds will be my favorite for this semester. I’m already intrigued by the questions posed as they pertain to mental health and I’d like to see how philosophy ties into it.
Section 010
Deleteweekly essay +3
replied to Moustafa Shamdeen & Blake Hughes +2
I totally agree with your first answer. I think that William James' answer to "is life worth living" is one of the most truly human responses that someone can give. It is, it isn't, it might be, but it is ultimately up to each person to live and find out.
DeleteDo you think even the happiest people think of themselves as failures?
ReplyDeleteMy initial response was going to be yes, because I just imagined in my head "yea everyone thinks they're failures at one point or another," or "yea everyone is disappointed in something about themselves every now and then," but looking at that question for just a bit longer, and I start to think about how I would change my response to no. See my image of happiness, at least in my head and experiences, is people who feel fulfilled, so whether that is building a house for the homeless, saving lives as a doctor or firefighter or soldier, making a painting you’re proud of, or just something as simple as eating a good and tasty meal, that could be, in a sense, called happiness. And what that says to me is that the happiest people are those people who ALWAYS feel fulfilled or at least close to always. Under that preface, I struggle with the idea that the people who always feel fulfilled, and thus are always happy, find faults with themselves. I mean here is some anecdotal evidence, I am a doctor who has 100 patients, I save 99 of those patients but the last patient has a condition never before seen and I can't react to it in time. Even though I saved 99 patients, I consider myself a failure for not being able to save them all, and this seemingly argues with my point, but if you look at it a bit longer, the doctor wasn't a happy person who felt fulfilled and still looked at themselves as a failure but instead was someone who felt unfulfilled and thus a failure.
I think those that pour their self-worth into things such as their career or relationships have trouble finding that fulfillment, which leads to unhappiness. I think people who can find happiness in less materialistic places lead happier lives, and the effect of that is being able to notice but not be shut down by your momentary mishaps, or failures.
DeleteSection 12
DeleteEssay completed (+3)
Replied to Anthony Ozoh (+1)
Replied to Isaiah Brandon (+1)
Points this week (5/5)
Points in total (65/65)
I agree, I believe that in order to be happy, you must feel fulfilled. In order to feel fulfilled, you must be a success. That raises the question, is anybody truly happy???
DeletePrior to this semester, I had not heard of Williams James. I do know people who fit the descriptions for being both sick souls and healthy minds. I appreciate the recognition in this week’s reading that people can have good days and bad days mentally. Kaag mentions that on his good days it’s easier for him to be motivated by James’ statement that believing life is worth living will help create the fact. This is similar to my own experience and also why I agree that life is worth living and that suicide is the wrong way to exit life in the overwhelming majority of cases. If a person tries to follow James’ guidance and actively believe that life is worth living, on their better days they will be more motivated to create things and make a life that they will be able to bear on their bad days.
ReplyDeleteI do also agree with James that our nation has a “squalid cash interpretation” of the word success. As I am currently spending such a large percentage of my time studying so that I can one day become a CPA, I often feel scared of falling into this trap. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life commuting back and forth in a large SUV between work and a suburban home that’s nearly indistinguishable from my neighbors’. I’m going to rely on influences like James to build purpose in life outside of work and comfortable conveniences so that I won’t end up at the end feeling regretful.
Section 10
DeleteMain post 11/19= 3 points
Commented on Anthony Ozoh’s post 11/19= 1 point
Commented on Mason Schoonover’s post 11/19= 1 point
Grand Semester Total (excluding bonuses)= 65 points
Do you like WJ's answer to the question "Is life worth living?" 9
ReplyDeleteI think William James hits the nail on the head, so to speak, with his answer. Ultimately, the liver really does decide if that life is worth living. Maybe is about the most honest answer I have ever heard in response to that question, a question I will freely admit has crept into my mind more and more as I have traveled down the path of life. I would say that it is worth noting that not all lives are worth living, and not everyone is the same. Unlike what most of us have been told in school, we cannot be anything we want. Some of us will never be president, or lack the skills to become an astronaut, some of us are not talented enough to play an instrument or become a traditional artist. Some people will, pardon my frankness, work fast food and other low level, low skill jobs until the expire. I would not say die, because I do not consider it to be living. Everyone is created equally, and then in the next second of their existence they are unique and different from anyone else on the planet. Everyone will not be given the same opportunities, and is it our responsibility to attempt to give everyone the same opportunities? I suppose it would be possible, but only in an authoritarian state where everyone is given the same things, and molded to be the same as the next person, the individual would cease to exist, and that is not life worth living. People are unique, but are they special? Can over 6 billion lives all be worth the same? I would argue no, they are not. Some will fly high and achieve great things, while others will grovel in the dirt. This is the world we live in, a world where, ultimately, the way a life is lived is truly up to the liver. #12
Comment on Khushi Patel’s post.
Comment on Molly Belk’s post
Weekly Essay
Did you play with guns, as a child? 381
ReplyDeleteI didn't own any toy guns as a kid as I was more of a Barbie and Bratz type of gal. However, whenever I went over to visit cousins or family friends' houses, I would play with Nerf guns and water guns with the other kids. Most often, we would play tag to where it had a Nerf and whoever got hit was out. I remember that I had a lot of fun playing and I was often a good shot. Sometime, we would get empty soda and beer cans and try to shot them with only 6 pellets. I was so happy and it made me feel like I was a cowgirl in the Wild West shooting bandits.
Ironic, that only a couple of years later, I would be afraid of actual guns when back then that I wanted nothing more then to learn how to use one. After the events of Parkland, that mindset went away as I had once wanted to learn how to use one when needed. Now, it terrifies me to hold one and let alone see one. While I have no problems with Nerf guns as I know that they aren't real and actually hurt me, it's kinda shocking that the game I once played is now considered my one of my worst nightmares back in high school.
I encourage you to learn how to use a firearm. I can understand that with the current and past events it can be very intimidating. However, whether we like it or not, firearms give the person handling it power. We don't want the power to be put into the wrong hands and when it does, we need as many people with the right hands to hold just as much power as the wrong hands.
DeleteWeekly Essay: 3 point
DeleteCommented on Brittney Sherrell's post: 1 point
Commented on Khushi Patel's post: 1 point
Total: 65 points
ReplyDeleteWhy should the two be mutually exclusive? Perhaps it would depend on your definition on what makes up a soul. Is a soul to you something that a higher being crafted then set into a mortal human skin? Then evolution would be a hard concept to come to terms with and could challenge that notion. But what if the soul is a spark that is built up through life experiences and neurons firing and/or making connections to build a personality with a splash of being able to communicate? Then I would say that animals and humans have souls. Check with anyone that has ever had a pet: amphibian, reptilian, mammals, avian, etc. They will whole heartedly and, in my case, with excruciating detail tell you about their individual personalities and how they interact with the world/others. In an even broader sense, speak to those that interact with non-domesticated animals either in the wild or in sanctuaries/zoos/aquariums and you can bet they can show examples of diverse personalities in those populations. Just as no two humans are exactly alike, I would assert that no two animals are the same either. By saying that humans are the only ones with souls simply because we can perform complicated calculations, argue about the meaning of life, drive a car, build complex civilizations, so on and so forth I feel that you are overcomplicating the meaning of a soul. Or at least attaching frivolous characteristics to something that in my mind is something rather simple if allusive to pin down. To me, the soul is the spark of life in all things no matter how simple that organism may seem to the casual observer.
Weekly essay: +3
DeleteComments: Barbara Frizzell, Isaiah Bryanton +2
Do you own a gun? Why?
ReplyDeleteYes, I own three firearms. I own a brass "Golden Boy" Henry Repeater rifle, a 1931 Mosin Nagant, and a 1927 Mosin Nagant with a 1941 PU Scope. I do support the second amendment and what it stands for, but that is not the reason why I own these firearms. I don't necessarily own these firearms for self defense either, however, they can serve that purpose if there was ever a situation where I needed to defend myself. I own the Henry Rifle because it was given to me as a gift from my grandfather. It is the prettiest rifle I own and I consider it priceless. The Mosin Nagants on the otherhand, was a project that my grandfather and I undertook. We both restored them and turned one into a Russian sniper rifle. They are also both very beautiful rifles with tons of history. I hope to improve my collection of old rifles as I am quite the student of history. What has really gotten me into gun collecting is my grandfather, he has quite the extensive collection and as a kid he would always show me all the different and unique guns he owned. Owning firearms is a way I can relate with my grandfather and hopefully create great memories with the time that I have left with him. If you do not own a firearm or have never shot a firearm, I encourage you to purchase one of fire one. Firearms can be very dangerous, but they can also be a great hobby.
I would love to see your collection sometime!! Between my two brothers, dad, and myself we own a number of firearms. 12 to be precise. I have always been exposed to guns due to the fact my dad is a police officer and hunter. I do enjoy the time taken to take care of the firearms. It is a kind of relaxation almost. We also hunt so using them in a sporting fashion has always been a key purpose. I am also in support of using them for self defense in a severe situation but only as last option.
DeleteJames Robinson
ReplyDeletePHIL-1030 Section 10
Semester Points 40/50
19 November 2020
Do you understand the concept of "herd immunity"? Do most Americans?
I understand herd immunity on a conceptual level, and I believe it makes sense logically. This concept has been observed for many years. When a virus begins to spread a certain number of people will survive, this makes them immune to the same virus and noncontagious. Once a large portion of the population has contracted and passed the virus, the threat to those with weakened immune systems falls. The coronavirus is no different than any other illness, people will survive it and protect those around them with their immunity. I feel as though most Americans have never heard of herd immunity. Although it usually happens every year with the flu. The coronavirus was used as a tool to separate and divide the country for the sake of election turnout. People were not dying in the street, many people never knew that they had it. They became immune without even knowing. The more people that survive the disease the safer everyone else is. The coronavirus will not be stopped by mask mandates or a vaccine. The human immune system will prevail. The notion of controlling how many people can meet for thanksgiving is ridiculous, if COVID-19 wasn’t in every headline and every advertisement it is hard to believe life would be very different than it was in January. The rules imposed following coronavirus have almost pseudo-stripped away our rights and freedoms, a form of control under fear. Finally I know many Christians will walk forward blindly and courageously away from the fear of death.
Comments: Simon Pergande, Autumn Daniel
Great points James!! I admittedly did not truly understand the concept but your explanation has really opened up my knowledge on the topic.
DeleteHerd immunity definitely makes sense, but the way it's been adopted by the anti vax crowd is honestly quite dangerous.
DeleteQuestion: Do you think even the happiest people think of themselves as failures?
ReplyDeleteAnswer: I believe that not only the happiest of people, but all people have felt or seen themselves as failures at some point of their life. Whether that be because of a minor let down or a huge disappointment. I myself have many times viewed myself as a failure not only because of my immediate actions but also at times where I was in no way in control of the situation, but because it set me back, I felt like a failure. I like to think of myself as a happy person the majority of the time but I have felt a failure many a times. I believe it is apart of the human nature to want to succeed, to want to feel accomplished, to want recognition and when we are set back then it's an obvious disappointment that can really hurt our feelings.
weekly essay
Deletecomments on James Robinson and Henry Moseley
I completely agree with you and the idea about how we want recognition so we then feel pity for ourselves to then make other support us and feel better about our failures to then turn those fails into succeeding moments.
DeleteI agree it is human nature to feel disappointment when things do go your way even if others don't see it as a disappointment.
DeleteDo you think even the happiest people think of themselves as failures?
ReplyDeleteI certainly do believe that many people do see themselves as failures even though others in society view them as a very successful person. Many people become happy by achieving more of their goals throughout their lives and achieving more compensation for the goals they have completed. The twist about this is that whenever people start to achieve more and more without any difficulty, they start to become a perfectionist. This entails that they want to do everything correct and nothing but the correct way. They see any other way as wrong and the way that the perfectionist accomplishes things is the only way to accomplish anything. The problem with that is that whenever this perfectionist does not achieve what they would like then they get all tangled up in their mind about how they could not do it right and then convince themselves they can’t do any other thing right just because they mess up once. There can also be many different categories that someone can see themself failing at that they consider themselves failures. For example, the richest person in the world could be depressed because they do not have many friends or as good as social skills as others, so they then ignore the fact that they worked so hard for themselves. They get so focused on the outside that they only want the only thing that they don’t have. I can admit I was like a perfectionist in baseball because I started to improve rapidly and get better with the work I was putting in. I eventually became one of the better pitchers in the district but I would lose myself once I gave up a run or multiple hits. I would feel like a failure in that moment because I forgot about the past and was only focused how I was performing right then.
Section 012
Weekly Essay +3
Responded to Tyler Jones +1
Responded to Michael Clancy +1
Overall (60/65)
Have you ever "survived dying"?
ReplyDelete- Yes I have multiple times, but I', just gonna talk about a dumb situation I put myself in. So, I had a girlfriend at the time and I took her to a rodeo show with my family. My brother in law was mocking me and told me " I bet you $50 you can't last 30 seconds on that bull." And me being me trying show off in front of my girlfriend at the time I agreed to his deal. So here I am getting on this bull contemplating my actions, but I had to fake it to make it. So, they gave a count down and right before they said three they paddled the bull so hard it took off. My body swung back so hard I grabbed on the the bulls neck so tightly next thing you know I fall off of him. He just jumping up and down. While I was on the floor the workers there tried grabbing him if i didnt move when they told me too the bull would have stpeed on my face. And I thank god for saving me that day and for the $50 .
Do you own a Gun? Why?
-I personally do not have a fire arm, but my dad and lots of my family members have them. I like to use them to go hunting or going to the shooting range and practicing. It's an amusing hobby and collecting them is a hobby lot's of my family have that I'd find enjoyment out of it. I did "play" with them when I was younger but not irresponsibly I was just basically taught the basics which I found No harm in.
Essay (+3)
Commented on Miranda (+1)
Commented on Betsy Akpotu(+1)
Overall (55/65)
DeleteI'm in the same position, I don't have any aspiration to own a gun but I see why people enjoy them.
Delete"Are you afraid of GMOs or Vaccines?"
ReplyDeleteNo, I never have been and honestly I find the anti vax crowd to be nothing short of child abusers. Someone can have whatever crackpot conspiracy theory beliefs they want, but the moment it affects their child's health that's when they need to reevaluate themselves as a parent. As far as the people who choose to just not vaccinate themselves then I suppose that's their choice, but I believe we should do all we can to convince them that they are indeed deluded and should accept scientific facts lest they want to die of hepatitis or meningitis which for 21st 1st world country civilians is completely unnecessary.
Essay +3
DeleteReplied to Pedro Rojas +1
Replied to James III +1
I agree, most people don't realize how foolish this way of thinking is until they are affected personally.
DeleteDo you think most mass killers are paranoid schizophrenics or psychotics? 383
ReplyDeleteNo, I think that most people that commit any crime are victims of root insecurities. Issues with homelessness, their parents, finding food, health and hygiene. The vast majority of all crimes are done because someone hurting was pushed over the survival instinct line and once that line was broken it became easier and easier to do worse and worse out of convenience, necessity, or the social implication that there was no turning back in their community (think gang affiliation). That is not an excuse, but actions are symptoms of a bigger disease- just watch Les Miserables. Mental illnesses and disorders are not the reason for murderers, if that were the truth there would be many many more killers. Most mental illnesses have biological causes and in the cases of murderers with mental illnesses, it's usually because the illness is going untreated AND there is a major stressor/trigger in that persons life that sets them off to do unthinkable things. There are many mass murderers that don't have mental illnesses like paranoid schizophrenia or psychotic disorders. 65 percent of mass killers exhibit no evidence of a severe mental disorder. Even the Sandy Hook shooter didn't have what we would associate with as being a 'murderer' mental illness. He had Asperger syndrome, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, and depression - none of which cause someone to become a murderer. The Sandy Hook shooter didn't even show signs of the Dark Triad. The Dark Triad is a series of personality disorders that are commonly observed in high profile killers, most notably Ted Bundy, and these traits are: psychopathy (clinically known as antisocial personality disorder), machiavellianism and narcissism. These personality disorders don't even mean that someone with these traits will be a killer at all, they could be abusive or perfectly normal and functioning members of society that just don't think or feel the same way that non-neuro-divergent people feel. Here's a link to an article talking about mental illness (and the lack-of) in mass murderers.
(https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/08/health/mass-murderers-mental-illness.html)
I agree with you. This is not mental illness rather a result of traumatic experiences that shaped a way people deal with emotion
DeletePost above, comment on Alexa Kruszewski's post, comment on Michael Clancy's post.
ReplyDeletetotal points = 60/65
Weekly essay - "Maybe" 3pt
ReplyDeleteComment on Brittany Sherrill's post on 11/17 "always look at the bright side" 1pt
Comment on Simon Pergrande on "guns" post on 11/17 1pt
Weekly total 5 pts
Cumulative 68 + 5 = 73
Are you afraid of GMO's or vaccines ?
ReplyDeletePersonally I am not afraid of GMOs or vaccines. I come from a family that typically didn't pay much attention to GMOs and always made sure that us children received our proper vaccines. Being that my current major is nursing I have always been interested in some of the controversial topics in medicine. Vaccines are always at the top of the list. I've read stories about children who lost there lives because their parents refused to vaccinate them. The stories are heartbreaking. Of course vaccines, like every other manmade substance, does have side effects and affects everyone differently I still believe it is important to vaccinate one's self and children.
Weekly essay - 3 pt
DeleteCommented On Tyler Jones' post - 1 pt
Commented on Mathew Pace's post -1 pt
Would you take a vaccine using new techology that has never succeeded before, rush and produced in under a year. That goes in and tells your cells to start producing a protient to trigger an immune response. This is not well tested technology nor has it ever been successful in the past
DeleteDo you think most mass killers are paranoid schizophrenics or psychotics?
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely NOT. Me and my brother actually made an entire video on this subject. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjE8PVSgVRk this is a topic I have research very thourgly. People who are truly evil are not psychotic. They are fully aware of what they are doing. In fact these people are generally very intellegent and fully conginitively aware of everything that they are doing. There is a huge difference between mentally Ill and evil. Serial killers are almost always highly intelligent and have one common theme which is malice. They want to cause bad. Im not sure what expereiences caused serial killers to kill but mental ilness and hearing voices is the wrong approach to this.
essay 3pt
Deletejalen dewalt 1pt
Zoe Hovinga 1pt