Be Thankful

Thanksgiving has to be my favorite family holiday. Around this time of year really has a sentimental value to me. I love to see all of my family and relatives all under one roof and enjoying each other's company. What I'm thankful for is definitely my health and my family. They mean everything to me. I've lost two of my uncles and one is fighting cancer, but I'm sure happy he's still with us. I want my grandparents to be around as long as possible, they always find a way to bring a smile to my face. I really do have a family of characters but honestly I wouldn't change it for anyone else. We are very close and a very forgiving family. That's all this time of year is about; family. You have to enjoy them while everyone is still there.

Direction of the Class

Throughout all of the first quarter, I really enjoyed much of the discussions and arguements we had in class. It was entertaining and it helped me understand the material that much better. It also helped me see it from someone else's perspective. As for the next upcoming quarters, I'd say lets just continue with what we're doing. Keep the discussions flowing, the group work coming, and the blogs online. I really don't know much else that could be added or taken away from the class that would make it better.

Camus and Voltaire's Vote

Both Camus and Voltaire showed their views toward aristocracy. Voltaire satirized the higher powers throughout most of his literary works. So his vote would be hard to consider. If he was alive to vote during the upcoming election, if he wouldn't stay home that day, I believe he would vote for the party with the least government power. If I know my politics right, the party that he would vote for would be the libertarian party candidate, Gary Johnson. Before that vote, I believe that neither would vote.

For Camus the same story almost goes for him. He would oppose the aristocracy in his country and would not vote in an election to give one man the magnitude of the power of the president, it would go against the things he belived in. If he was forced to vote I would say the same as Voltaire, however, due to their previous ideas and views, I believe that they would refuse to vote. If I could ask them, I'd be curious.

Meaning of Life?

What is the meaning of life? In my eyes everyone has their own meaning. What is meaning? Meaning is the notion that when your life is complete you will be known for something. For that something it can be anything you want it to be. If your meaning in life is to be a serial killer-arsonist, and you are the best serial killer-arsonist when you die, then your life had meaning. It is all in your perspective. The meaning of my life is to make a difference in someone's life. If someone, just one person, remembers me after I die, then my life will have meaning. I want my name to go on for something. (positive) That, to me, is what the meaning of life is.

"Be fruitful and multiply"

Candide, Crime and Punishment

I never saw Candide as a criminal. Is it a crime to be curious? When he tried to experiment, he was kicked out of the castle and forced to experience the real world, and he realized that his land was not the best of all possible worlds. I believe him being forced to experience this was punishment enough. As the book progressed we see how the world can influence and corrupt Candide. He turned from this innocent boy to a person that kills and connive. The real world is the Crime and Candide was a victim, unaware what a kiss what get him into.

How do we know what we know?

Experiences. That's all it is. If we see fire, we know it is hot. Maybe we've seen people burn or suffer from it, or maybe we've gotten burnt and we already know what's going to happen. Throughout our whole life we have experiences that essentially teach us a lesson. We do wrong, we get punished we learn. That is how I know what I know, some people get too many chances, however, and they may never learn. They believe that what they know is the right thing.

The Unexamined LIfe is Not Worth Living? --Modern Day Gadfly--

Examining how you live your life, in my eyes, is what every person should do to see if what they are going through is what they really want. However, there is a saying, "Ignorance is bliss", if a person is happy with their life with their eyes closed and they seem happy, then let them be. We may not see the same way that they do but why should we tell them to open their eyes when they are doing just fine on their own? This brings up a good issue, where people could get beat-up and killed just for believing a certain way. Religion, the most common. When people have their faith in a certain being or whatever, its like a horse at a race track, they have the blinders on and they are only looking the way they want to look. Many things could be changing and happening but they don't know or care because they have one thing on their mind. If you try and force them to open their eyes then it could be hazardous to them or to you.

Now, a modern day Gadfly that I see, other than the obvious Colbert and Stewart, is Howard Stern. Not being afraid to say what he wanted, no matter the consequence, he fills this position perfectly.

Euology

Hello everyone. I'd like to thank you for coming today. I know when there's a death among someone we know so dear it can each hit us pretty hard. Trevor was the type of kid you just wanted to have around. He would listen intently for hours, he would try and alleviate your pain and advocate when you had problems. If you needed someone to talk to, he was your guy. It seemed e had no trouble making friends, He had plenty to talk to at school and around the neighborhood, and all of them say that Trevor was a great and giving advice and helping them out. He had a real knack with talking to the elderly too. When he volunteered he would listen to all the old war stories; Korea, Vietnam, World War 2. The men would get excited and show him pictures of their squadrons and old cities they were based out of, stuff like that. Everyone that was around him knows that Trevor was just an outgoing, caring, and warm-hearted person. For someone that seemed so selfless had to be taken from us at such a young age. He had a very big part in my life and hes got a special place in my heart forever. I don't know why it always seems that the good die young. I know, personally, that he did have a rough patch during high school, and may have done some bad things to make his mother disappointed, but since that time he has done nothing then try to get her trust back. Just as his and his mother's relationship just started getting back on track, he passed. I'd like everyone to please keep him and his family in your prayers, and he will surely be missed. Thank you.