10-24-2003, 08:07 AM
I would like to say how much I disagree, but I'm not exactly sure what you've said. That is to say, I don't think you've said anything meangingful yet.
What is your goal here? To try to get us to find ourselves; to get us to think? That is interesting, considering all you've talked about in your posts have been the ideas of *others*. The subject is existentialism, and you mention Alice in wonderland and Ayn Rand. Majoring in psychology I'm sure you've been introduced to many many other works, ideas and authors. No thanks, I'd rather not be inspired to "find myself" and think for myself by someone who has paraphrased a century of other peoples ideas and calls them his own. (I'm not saying you think you came up with them, I'm saying you synthesized them and have your own understanding - but they are still other people's ideas).
Just to make sure I've made my point before I move on, despite the fact that you think you've fallen into some form of awareness, I still see you enslaved by life, albiet in a different way. I may or may not be blissfully unaware in my world of day to day living, TV, internet, and civil life, but you are blissfully unaware in your world of literature and philosophy. That having been said, let's move on, and get into what you actually believe for yourself.
In my simple, Western Traditions 202 understanding of this topic, existentialism is making the most out of our life, i.e. "life is what you make of it". Our existence can be as meaningful as we choose to make it.
>It told a story of what it means to exist, to become self aware, and how to view the universe for what it is.
>Hell, I stumbled around for a long time before I became self aware.
Although I could probably learn this myself in a semester, please share what being self-aware is. What exactly does it entail (forgive me if it is just another abstract idea of existentialism, we are supposed to be discussing what you personally think at this point)? What is the universe for what it really is? I ask because in my perception, they way you talk about it in your posts makes it sound like you have this understanding, so I would like to know what your understanding is.
>Most human beings go through life blissfully unaware of what it means to be human, especially in the modern age.
>We have lost tribal sense, tradition, and right of passage to define what it means to grow... And live as human beings.
>It was late one night, while laying on a bed of pine twigs, looking up at the stars and the moon that I suddenly became aware of what life was and my part in it. I had a belly full of trout and the smell of pine in my nose and a billion stars over head. Life was no longer a pointless struggle. Nor was it meaningless. Awareness is a scary thing actually. Life changed from that point on.
Again, I'm interested to know what exactly your realization about the meaning if life is and what it means to be human. I don't want to get into my beliefs or a religious debate, so I'll just say I know what the point of being human is. I know what we are doing on this planet, where we came from, and where we are going. What meaning did you find? What awareness did you achieve? Although I have been a little condescending, I am genuinely interested about your thoughts.
Here's where it gets fun:
>It is even hinted at, but only the most insane or the most gifted genius will realize that Alice never once changed size... Her perception of the universe shrank or expanded based on her perceptions of her self and how she fit into her surroundings. Neo does the same thing to some degree. When Neo flies, he does not move a single inch in case you have not figured it out.
...implying that you have. So, are you insane or a genius? I can't quite be sure which it is, but I think the last word in one of Ayn Rand's works fits nicely: EGO. Hang on... "I strongly suspect I know how the Matrix trilogy will end... I might be wrong, but I seriously doubt it. ".
>Contribute something of your own if you are some sort of rational being capable of any sort of higher thinking..
Maybe you need to expand your universe with some pills to see (or: "become self aware to") that this applies to you, IMO.
>When and if you ever go to college you will understand what those big scary words mean. [reffering to existentialism]
Indeed. Throw in a major of psychology and you will have your very own Doc clone!
>Having the rug yanked out from under our feet is usually the best thing for us... I am saying that people need to find some extreme way of testing themselves and finding out what they are made of.
Call it what you like, I call it High School (or public school in general).
I await your response; in the mean time I'll be practicing shooting fish with a bow and arrow.
What is your goal here? To try to get us to find ourselves; to get us to think? That is interesting, considering all you've talked about in your posts have been the ideas of *others*. The subject is existentialism, and you mention Alice in wonderland and Ayn Rand. Majoring in psychology I'm sure you've been introduced to many many other works, ideas and authors. No thanks, I'd rather not be inspired to "find myself" and think for myself by someone who has paraphrased a century of other peoples ideas and calls them his own. (I'm not saying you think you came up with them, I'm saying you synthesized them and have your own understanding - but they are still other people's ideas).
Just to make sure I've made my point before I move on, despite the fact that you think you've fallen into some form of awareness, I still see you enslaved by life, albiet in a different way. I may or may not be blissfully unaware in my world of day to day living, TV, internet, and civil life, but you are blissfully unaware in your world of literature and philosophy. That having been said, let's move on, and get into what you actually believe for yourself.
In my simple, Western Traditions 202 understanding of this topic, existentialism is making the most out of our life, i.e. "life is what you make of it". Our existence can be as meaningful as we choose to make it.
>It told a story of what it means to exist, to become self aware, and how to view the universe for what it is.
>Hell, I stumbled around for a long time before I became self aware.
Although I could probably learn this myself in a semester, please share what being self-aware is. What exactly does it entail (forgive me if it is just another abstract idea of existentialism, we are supposed to be discussing what you personally think at this point)? What is the universe for what it really is? I ask because in my perception, they way you talk about it in your posts makes it sound like you have this understanding, so I would like to know what your understanding is.
>Most human beings go through life blissfully unaware of what it means to be human, especially in the modern age.
>We have lost tribal sense, tradition, and right of passage to define what it means to grow... And live as human beings.
>It was late one night, while laying on a bed of pine twigs, looking up at the stars and the moon that I suddenly became aware of what life was and my part in it. I had a belly full of trout and the smell of pine in my nose and a billion stars over head. Life was no longer a pointless struggle. Nor was it meaningless. Awareness is a scary thing actually. Life changed from that point on.
Again, I'm interested to know what exactly your realization about the meaning if life is and what it means to be human. I don't want to get into my beliefs or a religious debate, so I'll just say I know what the point of being human is. I know what we are doing on this planet, where we came from, and where we are going. What meaning did you find? What awareness did you achieve? Although I have been a little condescending, I am genuinely interested about your thoughts.
Here's where it gets fun:
>It is even hinted at, but only the most insane or the most gifted genius will realize that Alice never once changed size... Her perception of the universe shrank or expanded based on her perceptions of her self and how she fit into her surroundings. Neo does the same thing to some degree. When Neo flies, he does not move a single inch in case you have not figured it out.
...implying that you have. So, are you insane or a genius? I can't quite be sure which it is, but I think the last word in one of Ayn Rand's works fits nicely: EGO. Hang on... "I strongly suspect I know how the Matrix trilogy will end... I might be wrong, but I seriously doubt it. ".
>Contribute something of your own if you are some sort of rational being capable of any sort of higher thinking..
Maybe you need to expand your universe with some pills to see (or: "become self aware to") that this applies to you, IMO.
>When and if you ever go to college you will understand what those big scary words mean. [reffering to existentialism]
Indeed. Throw in a major of psychology and you will have your very own Doc clone!
>Having the rug yanked out from under our feet is usually the best thing for us... I am saying that people need to find some extreme way of testing themselves and finding out what they are made of.
Call it what you like, I call it High School (or public school in general).
I await your response; in the mean time I'll be practicing shooting fish with a bow and arrow.