Perceiving and knowing are both very different and very similar things. To perceieve is to believe that you know something. It is understanding and awareness. It makes no difference whether or not what you perceive is true. It is true as you perceive it. Opinions, for example, are a prime idea of perception. People believe their own opinions to be true. Opinions certainly cannot be knowledge, though, because there is no way of determining a correct answer in a matter of opinion. To know something is to have a correct perception. Knowledge is truth.
Perceiving and knowing are separate actions. To perceive something is not to know it, necessarily. A person may believe that their perception is knowledge; it may be, and it may not be. That is not the point of perception, though. To have knowledge, on the other hand, is to have the truth. A person can have knowledge of something, but choose to ignore it. They can know a fact, but not perceive it. The difference between knowledge and perception is the importance, or unimportance, of truth. One can both perceive and know something, but knowledge and perception do not rely on each other.
Based on how I have defined knowledge, there can be no way of knowing that is superior to another. If knowledge is truth, there can be no truth that is superior to another truth. However, if someone has perception of one thing and knowledge of another, it is clear that the knowledge is superior to the perception. The knowledge cannot be disproven, while the perception can be. However, a person may not be able to distinguish some of their perceptions from knowledge, and therein lies the difficulty of ascertaining the truth.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Monday, December 10, 2007
Know Thyself
In some ways, to know oneself is very similar to knowing another. We may recognize traits in ourselves as readily as we recognize them in others. Also, we may choicely overlook things in ourselves we don’t like. However, one knows oneself in ways much deeper than seen by others. There is more to a person than character traits, of course. Everyone has things they tell no one else. Insecurities and ambitions are often things about a person that only that person knows himself. People need to understand their own strengths and weaknesses. They need to know what motivates them and what affects them. To know oneself is important so we don’t wander through life wondering how is it that we have screwed up yet again. A person’s understanding of their own self is more valuable than a relationship with any other person. I know that I am the only person who will be in my life forever, so it is probably best that I know myself.
My worst quality, in my eyes, that causes me trouble time and time again, is my horrible habit of procrastination. I am pretty sure that it is some sort of awful character defect that I cannot motivate myself. For example, homework is pretty important. Then again, to me, when I get home from school, naps are much, much more important than homework, grades, and my future. Of course, I can put a lovely spin on it and say, “I live in the present.” However, I tend to neglect even the immediate future. I seldom start homework before 9pm, and when I get to bed before midnight, that is excitingly early. My grades have certainly not been bad, but for that I am very lucky. I don’t really know how I have managed to still do so well in school when I feel like I am putting in very little effort. I do, however, always put very much effort into assignments for Humanities, of course. I cannot see this procrastination habit getting any better this academic year, at least. When I have scary teachers, I always study for quizzes. I do this because I am scared of them and what kinds of looks they will give me if I do poorly. However, if I have a very nice, laidback teacher, I will feel much more comfortable going to bed instead of studying for their quiz than I would feel doing so for the quiz of an aforementioned scary teacher. I really just need someone else pushing me. I have been sliding since sophomore year, really, but I have a feeling senior slide is even worse. I really haven’t done anything to combat this weakness. I suppose that procrastination is really just part of the fact that I am a horribly unmotivated person. Therefore, I am thoroughly unmotivated to do anything to motivate myself. Oh well; I have managed to do well enough, regardless.
Luckily, a strength that fits nicely with my weakness is that I am quite imperturbable. Even if I do get a bad grade, it doesn’t really faze me, personally. I just don’t like awkward situations with teachers. I realize in the long run, these little things don’t matter. This attitude of mine has become more pronounced in recent years. Last year, I thought I had down the Shakespeare soliloquy that I was to recite to my English class. However, once I began to recite, it became apparent that I was not nearly well-practiced enough. I did my best and had some prompting by the teacher. Overall, it was an awful performance. I realize that most people would have been mortified. I really didn’t care. Not much can embarrass me anymore. I don’t know why, but my imperturbability really does come in handy. I remain a pretty happy person.
Reflecting on what I have written, if I were not so imperturbable, I might want to rethink my ideas. I realize I have made it sound as if I am a slacker and don’t really care. Most people will probably give a weakness that really is a strength, like being a perfectionist or always needing to finish something they start. I’m pretty sure I have managed to spin my strength into another personality flaw. Maybe it is easier for me to write about my weaknesses than my strengths. My friends would say that I brag all the time, but really, I only do that jokingly because I know they expect me to. If someone says “You’re so stupid,” I won’t hesitate to respond, “Welllll, I am a National Merit Semifinalist!” Michaela will appreciate my mentioning that. However, when it comes to serious stuff, I don’t like to talk about how smart I am or anything like that. However, I really do consider it a strength that nothing fazes me. I can appreciate an awkward situation, certainly. The thing is, my imperturbability has saved me much embarrassment, and for that, I am grateful.
My worst quality, in my eyes, that causes me trouble time and time again, is my horrible habit of procrastination. I am pretty sure that it is some sort of awful character defect that I cannot motivate myself. For example, homework is pretty important. Then again, to me, when I get home from school, naps are much, much more important than homework, grades, and my future. Of course, I can put a lovely spin on it and say, “I live in the present.” However, I tend to neglect even the immediate future. I seldom start homework before 9pm, and when I get to bed before midnight, that is excitingly early. My grades have certainly not been bad, but for that I am very lucky. I don’t really know how I have managed to still do so well in school when I feel like I am putting in very little effort. I do, however, always put very much effort into assignments for Humanities, of course. I cannot see this procrastination habit getting any better this academic year, at least. When I have scary teachers, I always study for quizzes. I do this because I am scared of them and what kinds of looks they will give me if I do poorly. However, if I have a very nice, laidback teacher, I will feel much more comfortable going to bed instead of studying for their quiz than I would feel doing so for the quiz of an aforementioned scary teacher. I really just need someone else pushing me. I have been sliding since sophomore year, really, but I have a feeling senior slide is even worse. I really haven’t done anything to combat this weakness. I suppose that procrastination is really just part of the fact that I am a horribly unmotivated person. Therefore, I am thoroughly unmotivated to do anything to motivate myself. Oh well; I have managed to do well enough, regardless.
Luckily, a strength that fits nicely with my weakness is that I am quite imperturbable. Even if I do get a bad grade, it doesn’t really faze me, personally. I just don’t like awkward situations with teachers. I realize in the long run, these little things don’t matter. This attitude of mine has become more pronounced in recent years. Last year, I thought I had down the Shakespeare soliloquy that I was to recite to my English class. However, once I began to recite, it became apparent that I was not nearly well-practiced enough. I did my best and had some prompting by the teacher. Overall, it was an awful performance. I realize that most people would have been mortified. I really didn’t care. Not much can embarrass me anymore. I don’t know why, but my imperturbability really does come in handy. I remain a pretty happy person.
Reflecting on what I have written, if I were not so imperturbable, I might want to rethink my ideas. I realize I have made it sound as if I am a slacker and don’t really care. Most people will probably give a weakness that really is a strength, like being a perfectionist or always needing to finish something they start. I’m pretty sure I have managed to spin my strength into another personality flaw. Maybe it is easier for me to write about my weaknesses than my strengths. My friends would say that I brag all the time, but really, I only do that jokingly because I know they expect me to. If someone says “You’re so stupid,” I won’t hesitate to respond, “Welllll, I am a National Merit Semifinalist!” Michaela will appreciate my mentioning that. However, when it comes to serious stuff, I don’t like to talk about how smart I am or anything like that. However, I really do consider it a strength that nothing fazes me. I can appreciate an awkward situation, certainly. The thing is, my imperturbability has saved me much embarrassment, and for that, I am grateful.
Advice
I received some particularly good advice as I was sitting in a lawn chair this past summer at my neighbor’s annual Memorial Day party, chatting with another neighbor whom I’ve known since I was young. It is hard to explain, but we are close with all our neighbors. The dads borrow tools and help each other with various projects, the moms really borrow eggs and sugar, and the kids all play together. We actually have a block party every September, to which over one hundred neighbors come each year. I am lucky to live in such a neighborhood. In short, this neighbor to whom I was speaking was not a woman I barely know and was just making polite conversation with. Looking back, I was basically on the receiving end of a lecture. I’m not sure what I said in response to anything she said, so it is hard to recap the exact dialogue. However, I do remember precisely what she told me. As we sat eating salad and drinking lemonade, she told me to travel while I’m young, before life gets in the way. Once you get married and have kids, life gets in the way, and you can’t just pick up and leave. When you are young though, you can. She told me too, never to give up opportunities because of a man. If there is an incredible job that you really want, realize that if you give it up and things don’t work out with him, you will regret it. When you are young is the time to be selfish and live your own life before devoting it to anyone else.
What she probably knew at the time that I didn’t was that she was getting divorced. This conversation occurred about two months before the neighborhood found out that this couple was getting divorced and her husband already bought another house and was moving out. Now I realize why these ideas were on her mind, and why she felt it was so important to convey this to me. Before getting married, she had traveled the word. She estimates she has visited over sixty countries. She said Africa was so cheap that she could have lived there forever on the money she had. You don’t have to be rich to get those experiences. Now, however, she is a single mom of two young children. She can’t pick up and travel at whim. Honestly, this is the best advice I have ever received. I want travel, and to just as vacations to islands and Europe. I want to join the Peace Corps after college. Some people see this as idealistic, but really, it can be a reality! My own mother would never give me the advice that my neighbor gave me. My mom married months out of college, and the most foreign place she has ever lived is Texas. Naturally, she would have no basis to give me such advice. She led no such life. However, although my neighbor didn’t realize it, her advice was validation of my dreams. I can do these things that other people think are just part of my youthful idealism. For this, to my neighbor, I am so grateful.
What she probably knew at the time that I didn’t was that she was getting divorced. This conversation occurred about two months before the neighborhood found out that this couple was getting divorced and her husband already bought another house and was moving out. Now I realize why these ideas were on her mind, and why she felt it was so important to convey this to me. Before getting married, she had traveled the word. She estimates she has visited over sixty countries. She said Africa was so cheap that she could have lived there forever on the money she had. You don’t have to be rich to get those experiences. Now, however, she is a single mom of two young children. She can’t pick up and travel at whim. Honestly, this is the best advice I have ever received. I want travel, and to just as vacations to islands and Europe. I want to join the Peace Corps after college. Some people see this as idealistic, but really, it can be a reality! My own mother would never give me the advice that my neighbor gave me. My mom married months out of college, and the most foreign place she has ever lived is Texas. Naturally, she would have no basis to give me such advice. She led no such life. However, although my neighbor didn’t realize it, her advice was validation of my dreams. I can do these things that other people think are just part of my youthful idealism. For this, to my neighbor, I am so grateful.
Value of Life
Goals are what make life worth living. We may be content with things as they are, and things may be good, but we need hope to look forward to the future. To realize that I have lived only such a small part of my life so far is strange. Am I me yet? When I look at my parents, I hardly even consider their teenage selves to be the same people. The rest of their lives are so much more significant to me. Then, in terms of myself, I wonder how it is that I’m not even really living my life yet (at least in the way of which I am speaking). Perhaps these thoughts of mine wouldn’t even make sense to anyone but me, but these are things I ponder, nevertheless.
Even though I love my life now, and I would never wish to fast-forward though high school and college, I am so desperately curious about what will come after. I do have a sort-of dream life that I hope comes true. After all, you only live once.
The thing I want more than anything else is to be able to believe in God. I have been raised Catholic, went to Catechism class, and until the past year or so, my family went to church every Sunday. However, as much as I want to believe in God, I just don’t. There is nothing I can help about it. I know I can’t sit and read the Bible and suddenly have some sort of epiphany. When it comes to it, I just can’t truly say that I believe in God. Although I consider myself agnostic (I can’t bear to consider myself an atheist), I will still be very defensive of Catholicism. I can’t help but feel that IF there were to be a God, the Catholic story is the right one. It is part of my heritage, after all. I think it is terrible when atheists look down on those with faith. I think to have that kind of faith must be the most incredible thing. Faith in God is what keeps so many people going. It is a kind of ultimate hope; we have something good even after this life, and our lives have meaning. To me, it doesn’t really matter what religion someone is. It is that faith that I envy, and I hope that by the time I reach the end of my life, I have that faith.
Perhaps just as important to me is family. I want to fall in love, get married, and have children. I don’t want to get old and die without these things. I am sure this is some sort of compulsion to be just like my own family. After all, this is exactly what my parents did. They met in college and got married the September after my mom graduated. I am the youngest, with two older brothers, and I want older boys and younger girls, just like my own family. Though, of course, I will be the diplomatic pregnant woman who just says she wants a healthy baby, and gender doesn’t matter. I know there is the possibility that I won’t get married. Even if I don’t, though, I still want children. I think, also, more people should adopt. There are so many children who don’t have families. As with many problems that aren’t in people’s faces though, people are content to push this reality to the backs of their minds. Also, certainly, it is part of human nature for people to want their own flesh and blood. After all, the importance of continuing family lines has been perhaps the most important thing to humanity throughout the ages. However, now, I think we all just want love in our lives. Careers and other goals are great, but alone, those things don’t matter.
I certainly do have more professional aspirations as well. My most important goal, career-wise, is just to love my job. The problem is that the things I want to do wouldn’t allow me to have a 9 to 5 job. I’m not sure how well this would fit with my dream family-life, but I won’t worry about that yet. I definitely want a job on the international scope. I would love to work for the government. In keeping with this goal, I want to study abroad in college and become fluent in another language. I love foreign languages. I’ve had Spanish class since first grade, and took Spanish up until this year. I reached honors and AP levels, and I really loved it. I am now in my fourth year of Latin, now at honors level. Latin is a different sort of language. We never actually speak in Latin, except in reading things out loud, and hardly compose Latin ourselves. However, the translation is like a puzzle. We just finished translating Ovid’s “Daphne and Apollo.” I think it is incredible that I can understand this poetry from ancient Rome. All last year, too, I took an Irish Gaelic class for an hour and a half a week. Perhaps the biggest struggle was pronunciation, which wasn’t even something I had thought of. Having taken Spanish since age seven, pronunciation was not a recent problem for me. To see foreign combinations of letters was hard, but eventually, I got the hang of it. I am proud of that. When all the different language classes did their presentations, I was excited to get up and stage a conversation in Irish with my classmates. A lot of people didn’t even realize that an Irish language existed, and they certainly hadn’t heard it spoken before! I also loved to see the other classes’ presentations (It was such a disappointment when the Modern Greek class just danced instead of speaking!). I meant to take Arabic this year, but I forgot about signing up until it was too late! Through this explanation, I have realized that my goals are rather intertwined. I want to continue studying languages, and certainly to be fluent in something other than English. Since the beginnings of education, people have been studying other languages, and sending their children to other countries to do so. To live in another country is therefore an experience I will certainly have. This will fit in rather well with my career goals. I want to work for the federal government in diplomacy, and knowledge of languages would be a key asset, if not a requirement. Though everyone has different career goals, everyone wants self-fulfillment. To have a job I love, whether my goals change, is what is most important.
Finally, ultimately, I want to die happy. I hope that in life I can realize if I’m not happy, I should do something to fix that. Goals may change, and that is okay. If I’m on a path to something I no longer have passion for, I hope I can be brave enough to realize that. My brother majored in civil engineering his whole freshman year of college. Then he realized that what he really wanted to do was landscape architecture. This is perfect for him. Even though he has to be in college an extra year to get enough credits, he still changed his major, so he will love his career. Even when people go through mid-life crises, it can be a good thing. If someone is not happy with what they are doing, why shouldn’t they make a radical change? Ultimately, people want to be happy, and this is what all other goals play into. There will always be those few people who lead incredible lives of innovation and philanthropy and change the world. However, for everyone else, it is enough to just be happy. That is what makes life good.
Even though I love my life now, and I would never wish to fast-forward though high school and college, I am so desperately curious about what will come after. I do have a sort-of dream life that I hope comes true. After all, you only live once.
The thing I want more than anything else is to be able to believe in God. I have been raised Catholic, went to Catechism class, and until the past year or so, my family went to church every Sunday. However, as much as I want to believe in God, I just don’t. There is nothing I can help about it. I know I can’t sit and read the Bible and suddenly have some sort of epiphany. When it comes to it, I just can’t truly say that I believe in God. Although I consider myself agnostic (I can’t bear to consider myself an atheist), I will still be very defensive of Catholicism. I can’t help but feel that IF there were to be a God, the Catholic story is the right one. It is part of my heritage, after all. I think it is terrible when atheists look down on those with faith. I think to have that kind of faith must be the most incredible thing. Faith in God is what keeps so many people going. It is a kind of ultimate hope; we have something good even after this life, and our lives have meaning. To me, it doesn’t really matter what religion someone is. It is that faith that I envy, and I hope that by the time I reach the end of my life, I have that faith.
Perhaps just as important to me is family. I want to fall in love, get married, and have children. I don’t want to get old and die without these things. I am sure this is some sort of compulsion to be just like my own family. After all, this is exactly what my parents did. They met in college and got married the September after my mom graduated. I am the youngest, with two older brothers, and I want older boys and younger girls, just like my own family. Though, of course, I will be the diplomatic pregnant woman who just says she wants a healthy baby, and gender doesn’t matter. I know there is the possibility that I won’t get married. Even if I don’t, though, I still want children. I think, also, more people should adopt. There are so many children who don’t have families. As with many problems that aren’t in people’s faces though, people are content to push this reality to the backs of their minds. Also, certainly, it is part of human nature for people to want their own flesh and blood. After all, the importance of continuing family lines has been perhaps the most important thing to humanity throughout the ages. However, now, I think we all just want love in our lives. Careers and other goals are great, but alone, those things don’t matter.
I certainly do have more professional aspirations as well. My most important goal, career-wise, is just to love my job. The problem is that the things I want to do wouldn’t allow me to have a 9 to 5 job. I’m not sure how well this would fit with my dream family-life, but I won’t worry about that yet. I definitely want a job on the international scope. I would love to work for the government. In keeping with this goal, I want to study abroad in college and become fluent in another language. I love foreign languages. I’ve had Spanish class since first grade, and took Spanish up until this year. I reached honors and AP levels, and I really loved it. I am now in my fourth year of Latin, now at honors level. Latin is a different sort of language. We never actually speak in Latin, except in reading things out loud, and hardly compose Latin ourselves. However, the translation is like a puzzle. We just finished translating Ovid’s “Daphne and Apollo.” I think it is incredible that I can understand this poetry from ancient Rome. All last year, too, I took an Irish Gaelic class for an hour and a half a week. Perhaps the biggest struggle was pronunciation, which wasn’t even something I had thought of. Having taken Spanish since age seven, pronunciation was not a recent problem for me. To see foreign combinations of letters was hard, but eventually, I got the hang of it. I am proud of that. When all the different language classes did their presentations, I was excited to get up and stage a conversation in Irish with my classmates. A lot of people didn’t even realize that an Irish language existed, and they certainly hadn’t heard it spoken before! I also loved to see the other classes’ presentations (It was such a disappointment when the Modern Greek class just danced instead of speaking!). I meant to take Arabic this year, but I forgot about signing up until it was too late! Through this explanation, I have realized that my goals are rather intertwined. I want to continue studying languages, and certainly to be fluent in something other than English. Since the beginnings of education, people have been studying other languages, and sending their children to other countries to do so. To live in another country is therefore an experience I will certainly have. This will fit in rather well with my career goals. I want to work for the federal government in diplomacy, and knowledge of languages would be a key asset, if not a requirement. Though everyone has different career goals, everyone wants self-fulfillment. To have a job I love, whether my goals change, is what is most important.
Finally, ultimately, I want to die happy. I hope that in life I can realize if I’m not happy, I should do something to fix that. Goals may change, and that is okay. If I’m on a path to something I no longer have passion for, I hope I can be brave enough to realize that. My brother majored in civil engineering his whole freshman year of college. Then he realized that what he really wanted to do was landscape architecture. This is perfect for him. Even though he has to be in college an extra year to get enough credits, he still changed his major, so he will love his career. Even when people go through mid-life crises, it can be a good thing. If someone is not happy with what they are doing, why shouldn’t they make a radical change? Ultimately, people want to be happy, and this is what all other goals play into. There will always be those few people who lead incredible lives of innovation and philanthropy and change the world. However, for everyone else, it is enough to just be happy. That is what makes life good.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
"There is no permanence"
We know we are going to die. This, however, is never a sudden realization. Our parents do not sit us down at age five to tell us that we will one day go to sleep and never wake up. We may grasp the meaning of death when loved ones and pets die when we are young, but likely no one has a memory of grasping the idea of death in relation to his- or herself. Grasping the idea of death is coming to an understanding about life.
When we are young, death doesn't seem to be an immediate threat. We go on with life, not concerned with what seems so far, far away. There are even stereotypes related to how different age groups perceive death- all to do with the permanence of it. Children are supposed to not realize death is forever. When people or pets in their lives die, they may ask the next day where this person is, not realizing they are gone forever. Teenagers are supposed to believe they are immortal. That's why they are reckless and do dangerous things- they "don't think it will happen to them." Once past their prime, people usually fear aging. Once over the hill, its all downhill from there, and that's a scary thought. No one can stop aging, but people spend billions of dollars each year trying. However, at some point, some people embrace their age, while others get more depressed. When I see my grandfather and ask him how his day has been, he tells me every single time, "Well any day I wake up is a good day, I suppose." He tells me he visits more people in graveyards than in houses now. He certainly understands death is inevitable, but at the same time, he has forgotten how to enjoy life. This is especially hard since he is quite healthy and could easily live another twenty years. People come to different understandings about death. We all know it is happening, but we all don't feel the same about it. However, the understanding of death, like death itself, is a common experience among all humans.
The idea of death for oneself probably isn't terribly frightening. If I personally think of my own death, what else is there to think about but my family and friends? If that is the end, so be it. If it isn't, well then that's wonderful. Either way, death happens to everyone. We know it happens to everyone, so it can't be some dark, scary thing.What makes death frightening is the idea of loved ones dying. The idea of my own death isn't too horrifying- it doesn't even seem quite real yet. I am, after all, an immortal teenager. I know that I will likely live to see my parents and even my brothers die, and that is terrifying. Even after my last dog died, I was hesitant to get another one, because I knew I would have to go through that all over again. I know that this dog will die, too. Death is terrifying because when these people die, they are at peace, but we are left here, grieving.
Gilgamesh, like many others since, sought eternal life. Utnapishtim explains, "There is no permanence." Nothing in life is forever, and life itself is not forever. We don't expect anything to last for eternity, so why would we expect this of life? Gilgamesh may have been seeking this immortality for himself, but it is much more likely he is seeking to reverse the death of Enkidu. Gilgamesh, like any human, is crushed by the death of his loved one. It is this version of death that he fears, and this is the one we all fear.
Even though we all know we are destined to die, that doesn't mean we stop fighting to live. What other option do we have. Life is good, so why shouldn't we enjoy it? Just because we know a party is going to end doesn't mean we sit and sulk the whole way through. Also, people behavior in the manner in which they have been taught. We are not raised to obsess over death; therefore, we don't obsess over death. Most of us are taught to enjoy life and to strive for our goals. It is animal instinct to fight for survival, and humans, after all, are animals.
When we are young, death doesn't seem to be an immediate threat. We go on with life, not concerned with what seems so far, far away. There are even stereotypes related to how different age groups perceive death- all to do with the permanence of it. Children are supposed to not realize death is forever. When people or pets in their lives die, they may ask the next day where this person is, not realizing they are gone forever. Teenagers are supposed to believe they are immortal. That's why they are reckless and do dangerous things- they "don't think it will happen to them." Once past their prime, people usually fear aging. Once over the hill, its all downhill from there, and that's a scary thought. No one can stop aging, but people spend billions of dollars each year trying. However, at some point, some people embrace their age, while others get more depressed. When I see my grandfather and ask him how his day has been, he tells me every single time, "Well any day I wake up is a good day, I suppose." He tells me he visits more people in graveyards than in houses now. He certainly understands death is inevitable, but at the same time, he has forgotten how to enjoy life. This is especially hard since he is quite healthy and could easily live another twenty years. People come to different understandings about death. We all know it is happening, but we all don't feel the same about it. However, the understanding of death, like death itself, is a common experience among all humans.
The idea of death for oneself probably isn't terribly frightening. If I personally think of my own death, what else is there to think about but my family and friends? If that is the end, so be it. If it isn't, well then that's wonderful. Either way, death happens to everyone. We know it happens to everyone, so it can't be some dark, scary thing.What makes death frightening is the idea of loved ones dying. The idea of my own death isn't too horrifying- it doesn't even seem quite real yet. I am, after all, an immortal teenager. I know that I will likely live to see my parents and even my brothers die, and that is terrifying. Even after my last dog died, I was hesitant to get another one, because I knew I would have to go through that all over again. I know that this dog will die, too. Death is terrifying because when these people die, they are at peace, but we are left here, grieving.
Gilgamesh, like many others since, sought eternal life. Utnapishtim explains, "There is no permanence." Nothing in life is forever, and life itself is not forever. We don't expect anything to last for eternity, so why would we expect this of life? Gilgamesh may have been seeking this immortality for himself, but it is much more likely he is seeking to reverse the death of Enkidu. Gilgamesh, like any human, is crushed by the death of his loved one. It is this version of death that he fears, and this is the one we all fear.
Even though we all know we are destined to die, that doesn't mean we stop fighting to live. What other option do we have. Life is good, so why shouldn't we enjoy it? Just because we know a party is going to end doesn't mean we sit and sulk the whole way through. Also, people behavior in the manner in which they have been taught. We are not raised to obsess over death; therefore, we don't obsess over death. Most of us are taught to enjoy life and to strive for our goals. It is animal instinct to fight for survival, and humans, after all, are animals.
Monday, September 17, 2007
The Hero
The hero is a universal character. Societies throughout time and throughout the world have embraced the hero. Though values vary greatly between cultures, the hero is one archetype that transcends these diferences. Much can be learned about societies, both ancient and modern, by examining the stories they tell.
Beowulf and The Odyssey may be tales from long ago, but they have endured because their messages are timeless. Each features a champion who placed himself on the line to defend an entire community, then returned to lead a long life and share his wisdom. This, however, is the ancient storyline. In every other movie, there is an action hero who saves the world, but there typically isn't an epilogue describing how this hero went on to lead a long, happy life, imparting his wisdom along the way. Although the specifics of what defines heroism may have evolved over time, there are some basic traits that every hero seems to embody. Its seems the overriding trait in most heroes is selflessness. Whatever defining act a hero does, it is not done for personal glory, and it is done in spite of personal sacrifice. This is what sets the hero apart from ordinary people. People instinctively look out for themselves, and personal interest is not the first priority of a hero. Whether risking life or even something as seemingly trivial as personal humiliation, a hero puts his- or herself on the line for the sake of something they deem worth that risk. Heroes are idolized because not everyone has that courage. A hero is not fearless; a hero is afraid and pushes forward anyway.
Perhaps a woman is not the stereotypical hero, but how many heroes don't fit into that mold? For thousands of years, one hero model has been the war hero. This is perhaps the character people initially think of as the quintessential hero. Now however, most people won't cite Odysseus as their hero. It likely isn't some war hero at all. Times have changed, and with that have come new challenges. Many people would consider the kid who stands up to a bully a hero, risking being targeted. Doctors often sacrifice much of their personal lives to "do their job," which is helping other people every day. These people may not initially stand out as heroes, but upon closer thought, perhaps more people would consider them to be so. That being said, women only recently have begun to be accepted as soldiers, and so there aren't many historic women who were war heroes. Those who were are most atypical. Even in Disney's Mulan, Mulan had to disguise herself as a man in order to fight. However, once accepted that a hero is not only a combatant, it is clear that women can be heroes. While males may still dominate the military, the military character no longer dominates the theme of heroism. Therefore, a woman can be a hero because anyone can be a hero. It is not about the person or their background, but their actions. No one is a hero because they have big muscles or run quickly; it is action that makes a person heroic.
People need heroes to give them hope. Heroic struggles are a pattern people can look to and apply to their own lives. The hero is often closely linked with the idea of a role model. A hero is someone people can look to to emulate. Even in violent war stories, by pulling out a heroic theme, the deeds are made acceptable with the idea of a "greater good." People do need heroes, but to have them or not isn't really a choice. People do have heroes and always will. That is why it is a universal idea- no one dreamed up this idea. It is an innate idea. It is the kind of person everyone wishes they could be.
Beowulf and The Odyssey may be tales from long ago, but they have endured because their messages are timeless. Each features a champion who placed himself on the line to defend an entire community, then returned to lead a long life and share his wisdom. This, however, is the ancient storyline. In every other movie, there is an action hero who saves the world, but there typically isn't an epilogue describing how this hero went on to lead a long, happy life, imparting his wisdom along the way. Although the specifics of what defines heroism may have evolved over time, there are some basic traits that every hero seems to embody. Its seems the overriding trait in most heroes is selflessness. Whatever defining act a hero does, it is not done for personal glory, and it is done in spite of personal sacrifice. This is what sets the hero apart from ordinary people. People instinctively look out for themselves, and personal interest is not the first priority of a hero. Whether risking life or even something as seemingly trivial as personal humiliation, a hero puts his- or herself on the line for the sake of something they deem worth that risk. Heroes are idolized because not everyone has that courage. A hero is not fearless; a hero is afraid and pushes forward anyway.
Perhaps a woman is not the stereotypical hero, but how many heroes don't fit into that mold? For thousands of years, one hero model has been the war hero. This is perhaps the character people initially think of as the quintessential hero. Now however, most people won't cite Odysseus as their hero. It likely isn't some war hero at all. Times have changed, and with that have come new challenges. Many people would consider the kid who stands up to a bully a hero, risking being targeted. Doctors often sacrifice much of their personal lives to "do their job," which is helping other people every day. These people may not initially stand out as heroes, but upon closer thought, perhaps more people would consider them to be so. That being said, women only recently have begun to be accepted as soldiers, and so there aren't many historic women who were war heroes. Those who were are most atypical. Even in Disney's Mulan, Mulan had to disguise herself as a man in order to fight. However, once accepted that a hero is not only a combatant, it is clear that women can be heroes. While males may still dominate the military, the military character no longer dominates the theme of heroism. Therefore, a woman can be a hero because anyone can be a hero. It is not about the person or their background, but their actions. No one is a hero because they have big muscles or run quickly; it is action that makes a person heroic.
People need heroes to give them hope. Heroic struggles are a pattern people can look to and apply to their own lives. The hero is often closely linked with the idea of a role model. A hero is someone people can look to to emulate. Even in violent war stories, by pulling out a heroic theme, the deeds are made acceptable with the idea of a "greater good." People do need heroes, but to have them or not isn't really a choice. People do have heroes and always will. That is why it is a universal idea- no one dreamed up this idea. It is an innate idea. It is the kind of person everyone wishes they could be.
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