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Nicomachean Ethics

I believe that the point of this excerpt is to show the interconnectedness of everything around us. There is not one specific thing that will make us feel fulfilled and no one part of the world is any more important than another. It is crucial that we remember that everything in intertwined and the world functions because different people are good at different things and everyone’s skills come together so society can function as a whole.

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David Goggins

Initially, I was taken aback by Goggins’s personality and his bluntness. I was not expecting this, so it took me a moment to adjust to his tone and fully pay attention to what he was saying. Although at first he came across as abrasive, there is a lot of truth in his message. It may be hard to be honest with ourselves but this is a racial step in changing our habits and developing new ones that lead us to live better lives.

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Anthony O’Neal Giving

This video showed how making a habit of giving can be more helpful than we realize. When we make time to help others, we are able to make a difference in our communities and create a cycle of care that radiates to countless individuals. It also makes us grow into better people who work to put others first. It is so important to be observant of the world around us and not only focus on our needs. making a habit of seeing how we can help others is all around beneficial and we should strive to incorporate this into Nour lives bin whatever way we can. Every job haws an impact and we all have a way that we can give back.

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Romans 7:19-20

This scripture describes what happens when we let bad habits spiral. We do not realize that we have created these negative habits until they have become part of who we are and oftentimes we do not see them until something really bad happens. This is why it is crucial to examine ourselves and be honest about what bad habits we have so that we can stop them before they get out of control and prevent us from being the good people that we know few could be. 

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Your beliefs... -Gandhi/Habit Poem

I think that it is easy to forget that what we think is so easily shown through our actions. Our thoughts truly do becojme who we are. This is why it is so important to not only think positively about others and the world around us, but to think positivley about ourselves too. We do not have to be egotistical in our efforts to do this, but we must be our own biggest supporters and have faith in ourselves. I know this is not always easy, and I personally sturggle with this a lot, but feeding ourselvesn positie ideas will be reflected in our performance and even how we treat our peers. When we are confident and happy with who we are, it bis much easier to be happy with others and see them for the best versions of who they are. We can not love others until we love ourself, so positive thoughts are important in growing into the best people we can be overall. This same idea is reflected in the habit poem too. We must be consistent in our positivity, or it will not be as effectual. If we make a habit of improving our thoughts, our actions will follow, and soon after, e will be closer to becoming the person who we want to be. 

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Well Behaved Women

For most of my classes in college, I do not dress up. I wear whatever is most comfortable. More often than not, this is shorts and a t-shirt. I could not imigine having to dress like these women did during this time period. I can not fathom walking around Macon in the Summer heat wearing all of the layers that they were expected to wear. It is also hard for me to believe all of the rules that these women were expected to abide by. Some of these rules seem outrageous, and even though they wer not questioned during that time period, I know that today they would not go over well if they were attempted to be enforced. I know that today, women still experience inequalities and are still objectified, but it is clear that these things were much more obvious during that time period. I can not imagine living in a world like that and I can not help but wonder if future generations will say the same thing about the ways of our current time period.

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Tank Man

Tank Man is probably one of the most inspiring diwsplays of an individualn standing up for what they belive in, that I have ever nseen. The man had no fear and stood in front of the tank, knowing that he may be killed, and did not flinch, simply becau8se he was doing what he thought was the right thing. Another asspect of his story that relaly stands out to me is thatw e still do not know who this man is or what happened to him. he did not want recognition for his act of bravery, he only wanted to take a stand and be true to his morals. He wanted to do all that he possibly could to help his fellow citizens, and I would imigaine, his friends, family, and other loved ones.

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Unless We Stand...

I belive that this reinforces the idea that we must form our own set of beliefs. Unless we do this, we will never truly be passionate about what we are saying. It is evident when we argue form our own beliefs, and not just stick with the opinions of others. While it is also important to respect others' beliefs, this does not mean that we must compromise our own morals to do so.

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The Ones Who Walked Away From Omelas

Although I understand that the people who walke away were disturbed by the way things were and sought change, I do not believe that they actually id anything to better the land of Omelas. The one who was suffering continued to suffer when they left and remained there. They showed their disapproval, yet did nothing to actually chaneg what was being done. They simply left. I think that this reflects many of our attitudes today towards certain things. It is easier to simply turn away, and even though it is understood that we do not condone what is being done, we do not take the actions necessary to back our beliefs and promote positive change.

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Paraphrasing The Summer Day

Who created the world?

Who created the swans and bears?

Who created even the smallest insects?

This one-

This insect who has jumped form the ground

The one eating from my palm,

Grinding her teeth

Looking around with her great, large eyes

Who now washes her face

Who opens her wings and begins to fly away

I can’t explain exactly what prayer is

I do know how to look at the world around me, how to fall to my knees

How to be still and appreciate, how to walk through fields

Which is what I have been doing

Is there anything else I should have done instead?

In the end doesn't everything die too soon?

Explain to me,

What you plan to do with your only given life.

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It’s Hard to Hate Up Close/Fractured Spaces/Imaculee Ilibigiza

1. hurt, confused

2. disappointed

3. disgusted

4. ignorant

5. devastated, loss

6. angry

7. unimaginable 

8. hope, perseverance

9. pain, suffering

10. care

11. truth, empathy

Assignment Questions:

1. Both authors are explaining to try to be considerate of others. We should be conscious of the fact that we do not know what happens in everyone else’s lives, and we should try our best to be understanding and helpful. Merton urges us to actively assist others and live for those around us instead of ourselves. Wallace encourages us to try to put ourselves in others’ positions. While they both agree to think of others before ourselves, their means of doing so differ. 

2. I personally believe that each individual has their own purpose. The world is able to function because we each have our own unique abilities, and without them, our lives would be much harder. Like Merton, I think that there is a connection between us all and due to our specific abilities, we are able to use our gifts to help others. We were each given specific talents so that we could use them to improve the lives of those around use and make a positive impact. Similarly to Wallace, I also believe it is beneficial to try to see from other people’s perspectives. This not only improves the lives of those around us, but helps us as well. It allows us to grow as people and gain an understanding for our peers. Being able to do this makes us better people. 

Fractured Spaces:

It was eye opening to see these pictures. Everyone knows that tragedies are taking place each day, but it has a much greater effect to see the faces of the pope that are impacted. Seeing what they experience on a daily basis puts things into perspective and makes you consider how much you do not know about the world and what others are going through. It hurts to see what these people are going through. 

Immaculee Ilibagiza:

It was awe inspiring to see what Imaculee has experienced in her lifetime and how she was able to keep her faith. During times of hardships, especially like the ones she went through, it is oftentimes easy to lose faith in not only your religion, but humanity as a whole. Imaculee continues to stay strong in her beliefs and her positive outlook, which is extremely difficult at times. I am amazed at her ability to forgive and how she still has the desire to be accepting of others and love them, despite the hate she has seen. 

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Guernica/Gloriosa Victoria

At first, seeing these pieces of art confused me. Although I did not completely understand the basis of this paintings, it was clear that the artists intended to convey destruction and pain. I also feel like they were trying to show the confusion felt by the people experiencing these tragedies. Both of the pieces of artwork were created during times of war when people were suffering great losses that took a toll on them mentally and physically. These conflicts are evident in these pieces and I can feel the emotions that the artists intended for us to feel. 

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The Way Characters

In the beginning, Tom was very closed-off and bitter. Due to his losses in the past, he was very apprehensive of his son's actions and expressed his disapproval of Daniel's decisions. When he lost his son, he realized that he wanted to change the way he lived and focus on things outside of his job. Although we saw Tom as very closed-off in the beginning, Joost was the exact opposite. He was presented as cheerful and light-hearted. He was patient with Tom and wanted to be his friend and offer support along the Camino. Later, we found out that Joost had his fair share of issues and his reason for walking the Camino were much deeper than he had indicated before. We see a mixture between Tom and Joost with Sarah's character. She begins as an aggressive, confident character, but as the movie goes on, we see more of her trauma and why she has a hard exterior. Jack's character is very inquisitive and works throughout the movie to prompt the development of other characters through his personality. Each character is broken in their own way and are using the Camino to rebuild thier lives and turn things around for themselves.

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No Man is an Island

I think that Merton is saying that we derive the meanings of our lives not from how we effect others, but what we do for ourselves. We are our own driving force and we have the ability to work hard and make things happen for ourselves. The work that others do and the impact that we have own them will never satisfy us if we are not satisfied with ourselves first. 

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Shonda Rhimes

I know there is a lot of truth in what Rhimes said in her first lesson. You have to focus on what you can do in life instead of trying to become someone else. You have your own unique gifts, and if you only strive to fill someone else's shoes, you won’t reach your full potential. You have to work hard and employ your skills. I also appreciate her honesty about graduating. It is normal to feel lost and not know what your next steps are, but you still have to get up and find your place. Rhimes wanted to make it clear that there are ways that you can improve the world around you, and you should strive to do so. In her third lesson, she made it clear that you have to make sacrifices throughout life. It was comforting to hear that it will be okay, as long as you are doing what you feel is the best for the majority of the time. It is kind of odd to hear such a successful person to hear that she felt lost after graduating. I would think that she had a clear plan and purpose, but she did not do anything unachievable.  With hard work and motivation, she did what it took to find her place in the world and fulfill her definition of success. 

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Phenomenon Assignment

What happened to George O'Malley?

George had a tumor in his brain. The tumor actually increased his brain function, so he was able to learn and discover incredible things in just a short period of time. 

What was his relationship with the town at the beginning of the movie?

At the beginning of the movie, George was not very important to the people in the town. He had lived there his whole life and was friends with most people, but was not seen as intelligent. 

What was his gift?

George was able to employ a great portion of his brain’s power. He developed the ability of telekinesis and could feel what others were feeling. He was also able to learn many things from reading and experimenting. 

What was the town's reaction to him after he received the gift? 

The town was skeptical of George’s abilities, but once they saw him using his gift they were amazed. They had many questions and found it hard to believe what all George could do. He became an exhibit for the town. 

What did George O'Malley want to do with his gifts?

George wanted to tell others about the things he had learned and he used his gifts to improve the lives of those he cared about. 

What is a gift?

A gift is something that a person excels at doing. When someone is gifted in an area, they show great talent and potential to use their knowledge and skills to help themselves or others around them. 

Watching this movie was important because it depicted many changes that occur when someone discovers that they have a gift for something. At first, others may seem critical of your newfound abilities, but you can not let it hinder you or your progress. You must believe in yourself and what you know is true. People may try to discourage you or express annoyance, but you should not find value in what they say. At the beginning of the movie, the people in the town did not believe George when he was telling them all of the things that he could do. Eventually, the people of the town saw George use his gifts, yet some still questioned his abilities and how he acquired them. 

This movie also proved that your true friends will believe in you. Even though many ofi the people living in the town did not believe George, the people that he was close to took his word for what he was experiencing. They did not question him or try to push him away when he informed them of what had happened. This shows that no matter what abilities you have, what changes you experience, or how outrageous your claims may be, your true friends will stand by you. These people are the ones who truly care for you. 

Another lesson that can be learned through this movie is that you never know what someone may be going through. Most people who had heard about George and what he could do had no idea what was actually going on in his life. People made up rumors to explain the phenomenons he was experiencing, but did not stop to actually get to know George. They were only interested in what he could do, not who he was as a person. In reality, George found out that a tumor was the cause of his new abilities. It is important to not assume that you know what is happening in the lives of others and be considerate of them and their feelings. 

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Allegory of the Cave/This is Water/Interview with Chris Sheridan

The Allegory of the Cave: In this text, Plato is trying to convert that those who rely on gaining knowledge from only what they see and hear, close themselves off from reality. Plato argues that you can not only trust your senses and you must have other methods of learning. You must venture out on your own in order to gain your own understanding of the things going on around you. You must not be afraid of learning the truths of this world and you should trust those who try to guide you to answers. Reading about this in the form of Plato’s allegory was somewhat difficult to understand at first, but after a while it began to make sense. Oftentimes it is easy for us to just go along with that others say without doing the research ourselves. Sometimes though, we find that others are not correct and it would have been more beneficial for us to find out the information for ourselves. We can not fear what we do not know and we must face our reality to be informed. 

This is Water: In this speech, Wallace acknowledges the way people naturally think and the realities of being an adult. It is human nature to consider one’s self before others. You think of everything in your perspective and how things impact you. Most of the time we do not consider what is happening in the lives of others and we only pay attention to our spheres. Wallace presents the idea of thinking about what is happening in other people’s lives. Instead of becoming easily frustrated or impatient, think about how others are feeling. I know that sometimes I find this to be challenging. I forget to think about others before myself and am quick to become irritated with what is going on around me, rather than seeing the full picture. This speech is a good reminder to be intentional with our actions and think about the realities of the people around us and how we do not know what someone else is going through. 

An Interview with Chris Sheridan: As a philanthropist, Sheridan sees the value in helping others. He gives his family and religious background the credit for his values and sees that showing others generosity is what God intended. I agree with Sheridan’s perspective and see God as a reminder to help others and treat them with compassion. Sheridan acknowledges how people view God differently, but defines what he thinks God is. I know that people view religion in different ways and that forms how they think and act. It was interesting to seee Sheridan’s perspective and how his religion has been a motivating factor for him to do good in the world.