Ellison Salvig (Section 10)
WGU -p.193-234
In the realm of philosophy and cultural inquiry, Susan Neiman's book "Why Grow Up?" supplies the world with a thought-provoking exploration of the concept of maturity and the pursuit of meaning in a world often plagued with uncertainty.
Within her final chapter, pages 180-234, Neiman serves the reader with answers to her fundamental question: "Why Grow Up?". Staying true to the philosophical essence, however, her 'answers' evoke a deeper discussion.
Here are a few intriguing passages from the book that piqued my interest in regard to her explanation on the concept of 'growing up':
“Acknowledging that your best efforts to think and act autonomously will never entirely reach fruition, without acknowledging this as defeat, is part of growing up” (pg. 182)
“The sheer passage of time brings with it experience, and with it perspective. This isn’t yet wisdom, but it’s usually the case that perspective brings pleasures the young do not know.” (pg. 184-185)
“Growing up means realizing that no time of one’s life is the best one, and resolving to savor every second of joy within reach. You know each will pass, and you no longer experience that as betrayal.” (pg. 188)
“You may discover the pleasure of generosity. You can give a gift or an honest compliment without fearing it will be viewed as flattery, you no longer view constant criticism as a sign of intelligence.” (pg. 189)
“It is judgement, in short, that plays the most important role in thinking, for it is judgement that decides which thought (which idea, which concept, which principle) applies to which piece of the world.” (pg. 194)
“Would you live your life over if given the chance?” (pg. 199)
“Even then, we’d insist on variety too: better to die of anything else than to die of boredom.” (pg. 200)
“The fact that we cling on our deathbeds to lives we’ve done little but complain of is, he [Voltaire] believes, just one more proof that humankind is mad.” (pg. 201)
Contrasting what Neiman says, or possibly agreeing with it from a certain point of view, I think 'Growing Up' is not something that can truly be defined, or 'accessed'... if that makes any sense? Neiman attempts to mark out specific milestones and understandings as if 'growing up' was a stair-step process. In the book she delineates on how people who do not posses 'judgement' remain immature and lack a humanistic quality. In my opinion, the concept of 'judgement' is much to harsh a barrier.
From personal experience, I would argue that 'growing up' (if it should even be called that) is more of a wave than it is a step. On occasion(s), I'll have realizations and an in-depth understanding of an idea, but I feel as though my thoughts aren't set in stone. My perception of the world frequently rides on the ebbs and flows that life hands me.
I do believe there are a few instances in which certain understandings and realizations are, in essence, stair-like. For example, I posed a question of a similar context in class... something along the lines of: "have there been instances in your life that revolutionized the way in which you view the world?".
Personally, I can recall when I first understood the concept of time to a reliable degree. As in: I was aware that it was occurring, and that it was moving forward, but the intricacies of it were not completely clear until a specific moment in my life. Up until I was around six, the concept of 'time' or 'growing up' did not fundamentally hit me. It was when my dad got a new job and we moved to a different state that the rigidity of life was disrupted and replaced with a new understanding. And yet, there remain moments in my life where I do not feel like I truly perceive time to its full capacity.
The concept of the future, the way I view my past, how I experience the present, it still eludes me on a grand scale.
Here's a brief interview of Susan Neiman regarding her book, "Why Grow Up?":
Here's a cool video from CrashCourse that defines a couple of the previously discussed experiences/understandings from a more 'psychological' point of view:
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