Up@dawn 2.0 (blogger)

Delight Springs

Monday, December 7, 2020

Final Blogpost - Kiera Riordan

“What does it mean to grow up? Why should we? What makes life worth living?” 

 In an interview with John Kaag, Susan Nieman, Simone de Beauvoir, and myself, we are asked these three questions. 

 Susan Neiman, the author of Why grow up? Subversive Thoughts for an Infantile Age can easily answer these questions. She replied with the first question: “Growing up is more a matter of courage than knowledge: all the information in the world is no substitute for the guts to use your own judgment. And judgment can be leaned-… (WGU, 16) Susan goes on to say that growing up is about having the courage to think for yourself and be realistic about the world. Finding out what’s unique about you instead of wasting your time on society’s distractions is also key to growing up. Nieman answers the question of why one should grow up, saying, “…because it’s harder than you think, so hard that it can amount to resistance.” (WGU, 201). Susan would advise you to start with looking at philosophy and beginning with Immanuel Kant’s The Critique of Pure Reason. Growing up gives you a chance to experience things you couldn’t when your young like finding meaning in this world while understanding yourself and others. For the last question, Neiman answers the question, “what makes life worth living?” She would suggest following a question Nietzsche proposes, “Would I live this life over?” (WGU, 228) By thinking about this question you’ll be able to find what makes your life worth it and if you can’t think of anything maybe it’s time to “grow up” and find your purpose.

 John Kaag first answered, “what makes life worth living?” Kaag explains that he had once thought that his life was not worth living but William James had helped him find himself, “I think William James Philosophy saved my life. Or more accurately, it encouraged me not to be afraid of life…James gently, persistently urges. ‘Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact.’” (SSHM, 12) John Kaag explains that we form bad habits and when we let them take control it can lead to self-destruction and not being able to see the worth in your life. Also, focusing less on ourselves helps you see the value of others. "The choice of habits to actively cultivate and which emotions to feed may not be entirely up to us but it is also not wholly beyond our control.” (SSHM, 68) Kaag would move on to the next question agreeing with Susan that having the courage to examine your life is what makes you mature. John Kaag's response is inspired by William James stating, “In the end, the point of life was to recognize the power of habit, but then to guide it and overcome it.” (SSHM, 60) Something a young mind would not be able to accomplish. Kaag explains that we should grow up, so we are able to face the hardships in life and not let suffering take control. 
 
Before the next guest shares her answer, this is a little background on her and what the meaning of life is to her. Which I would say is pretty relevant to the last question being asked. 
              

 Simone de Beauvoir a famous, existentialist philosopher, and feminist, loves how Susan had expanded on some of her works. She starts by answering the reason to grow up is that you have the freedom to become who you want and do what you please. She explains that growing up is knowing the difference between good and bad. In Nieman’s book she quotes Simone when she talks of when she was young, she was “gazing at the gold mine at my feet: a whole life to live.’” (WGU, 7) Simone states you should be excited to grow up because that is when you can truly live your life to the fullest. Simone encourages us not to be afraid of getting old but to embrace it because with the experience life gives you it’s easier to find the importance in life. A famous quote by de Beauvoir is “one’s life has value so long as one attributes value to the life of others, by means of love, friendship, and compassion.” In this conversation, she repeated it. Meaning we should create relationships and care about others to find life’s worth to find your own life’s worth.

 I learned a lot from Susan Nieman and John Kaag. I used to think growing up just meant taking on more responsibilities but really, it’s all about experiences and understanding. Growing up is realizing how important it is to find purpose in your life. Growing up is about exploring life and living to the fullest. Growing up is not always having the answer to everything but striving to learn. Growing up is not giving up on the adventures in life but pursuing more. Why should we want to grow up? Once you realize what growing up has to offer, I think anyone would agree that it seems quite exciting. Being grown up allows the freedom to make choices and think for yourself “don’t be afraid.” What makes my life worth living is the relationships I have with my family and friends and my drive to learn and make something of myself. I really like Simone de Beauvoir’s response to this question, it’s all about surrounding yourself with people that encourage you to be a better person and that you do the same to others.
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3 comments:

  1. "Critique of Pure Wisdom"--Pure REASON. Maybe put in a link to it? (and a few other things)... https://www.gutenberg.org/files/4280/4280-h/4280-h.htm

    Nice use of de Beauvoir...

    “one’s life has value so long as one attributes the value of the life of others" -- so long as one attributes value TO the life of others (etc.), she actually said. People who've given up on their lives are typically hyper-self-absorbed. That's not healthy. John Kaag has a new essay (and next year will publish a new book) on Emerson. It includes this statement: "When we truly open our eyes, it is difficult, maybe even impossible, to fixate on ourselves." I agree, and I think John would also add that when we fixate less on ourselves we begin to really appreciate the gift of personal existence and subjective experience--not just ours, everyone's. You say much the same in your final paragraph. Well said.

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    1. Thank you for the feedback! I went ahead and edited and made corrections like you suggested.

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