<p>I figure we need a pseudo intellectual thread for all you metaphysical cats with your introspective thoughts (and all you hipsters who like to pretend so).</p>
<p>Basically, the game is to write about something you saw/read about/experienced and relate it to the universe/human nature.</p>
<p>Example: I was working as a cashier at the mall, and when a woman came to buy clothes for herself, her daughter asked to help carry the bags. The woman became annoyed and told her daughter that she was far too small and careless to possibly carry them herself, leaving her daughter with palpable feelings of dismay. In this seemingly insignificant and common event, I saw what was wrong with people. I saw how humans can never expect more from someone else than what they're capable of. I saw why I hated certain people, because they were smarter, prettier, or generally happier. It seems to me, that after years of trying to do something, whatever it is, and to see someone so much younger and less practiced than you dare to succeed at what you've labored toward is meant to be heartbreaking, but for fear of heartbreak we harden ourselves and hold hostility to those who have a chance.</p>
<p>CC needed this! I usually try to write down moments like those, moments of great realization, but then I forget about them. Let me see if I can dig some up.</p>
<p>I was sitting in class, absorbing the teacher’s lecture like a sponge absorbs water. On the other hand, this girl behind me was just stumped. She whispered in my ear: “Hey, I don’t get this.” I was like “This is easy.” She asked: “Wanna study today at lunch, in the courtyard?” Glancing back, I saw her face and I couldn’t refuse. “Of course - see ya in the courtyard!” </p>
<p>Before going to the courtyard, I first dropped by the library to print out a copy of the teacher’s PowerPoint just for her. At the courtyard, I explained to her again the implications of Marbury v. Madison and the concept of “judicial review.” In doing so, I rubbed up right against her so I could share my APUSH book and PowerPoint slides with her. Each time she looked away from my face, and at the book or PowerPoint, I made sure to take a nice, long, gratifying look down her shirt. </p>
<p>Bottom line: there is no true altruism (Rand). I only helped her to propagate my juvenile self-interest.</p>
<p>@stressedouttt I’m positive that there are people who have worked harder than I have and had more setbacks than I have and have led more successful lives; these are the people I have the most genuine respect for. However, I think the biggest factor of success, in all cases, is based most upon wealth. If someone is born wealthy, or at some point in their life comes into money that they did not earn, they will lead a more successful, or at least an easier, life.</p>
<p>@IceQube that’s actually really interesting; I can see myself doing the same thing (or at least the gender equivalent), but I can also see myself feeling sorry for someone who was genuinely struggling and helping them as well (but still more likely to help someone I’m attracted to, or, even better, someone who’s wealthy)</p>
<p>Yesterday was another depressing day. I wore all the wrong clothes to school and everyone laughed at my baggy jeans because the new trend is now skinny jeans. Everyone also laughed at my worn out, blue polo - apparently the new trend is preppy, which comprises Hollister t-shirts and Hollister cardigans. I skipped sixth period at school and drove back home crying. At home, I went to the bathroom and sat there reminiscing about my bad grades and even worse social life. I opened the medicine cabinet and took out something that wasn’t labeled “POISON.” I figured that my family wasn’t dumb enough to keep poison in an unlabeled bottle. I read the label just to make sure that what I was going to take wasn’t something I knew was dangerous. It turned out to be a bottle of prescription painkillers for my grandmother’s arthritis. What the hell, I thought. I popped a few and sat there, wallowing in my pain. The painkillers made me a little sweaty and gave me a little bit of a light-headed feeling. I felt a little better afterward. Thus is the story of how my painkiller addiction commenced. </p>
<p>I am definitely more inclined to help someone of they are attractive lulz. </p>
<p>Something I noticed: the whole Kony 2012 thing actually really scared me. It’s funny cause we always hear about the influence of propaganda and nationalism in history, but I had never really understood it until now. I was amazed by how quickly everyone suddenly supported this campaign without doing any research about the charity itself–ie no one knows that Kony hasn’t been at large for five years, that this particular charity is not highly rated and has been accused of taking ~69% of the proceeds, etc. The power of emotional appeal and the ignorance of the general population scares me.</p>
<p>It is in our nature, according to Rand, to act in our own self-interest. Given that we are all likely in our teens, I think that our self-interests are all one and the same, and goes without saying.</p>
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<p>Correct. Our parents’ wealth is the biggest determinant of our success in America, even today, in this supposed land of the free, where one can climb the social ladder with hard work and grit. Nope. Our parents’ wealth reigns supreme. If we are born in a rich family, then we are more than likely to be rich ourselves. Wealth trumps IQ, race, SAT scores, college attended, etc. as the best predictor of success.</p>
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<p>And that’s why all politicians are demagogues.</p>
<p>@IceQube This is interesting because ‘am’ is a form of ‘to be’ which basically indicates one’s existence, but I think there’s a difference between existing and being human, and I consider you to be of the latter. As a human being there’s more to existence, than merely existing, including the process of making decisions. So where you are right, that you do indeed exist, and that as a human being you can and did make the decision to medicate, you, as a human being, also have the right and capability to choose not to medicate. Please PM me.</p>
<p>@alwaysleah that’s generally why I refrain from any circumstances that might perpetuate a mob mentality. I don’t like parties, pep rallies, or church and I’ll never do something that everyone else is doing without giving myself time to think about it. Even at concerts/speeches/etc, I’ll wait to clap until I feel they deserved it. It might seem rude, but it’s part of free thinking.
I suppose KONY specifically is so popular because it makes people (mostly teenagers) who spend time (read: waste time) on the internet, feel like they’re doing something important. We’ve always been told the internet/tv will rot your brain, and never wanted to believe it, and here’s an opportunity for first world teens to tweet their own “revolution.” Everyone wants to feel important or needed, especially teenagers, who generally are ignored until they’ve either got a job or a diploma and have “matured.” </p>
<p>What disappoints me most is how the only people who are demonstrating their political views (at least on my newsfeeds) are those who support KONY 2012. I’d rather people each have their own futile cause that they’ve committed to. “Think wrongly, if you please, but in all cases think for yourself.” -Doris Lessing*</p>
<p>*posts quote from obscure source: sorry guys I don’t even know who she is, I just really like the quote, I’m sorry, I’m a phony and I know it.</p>
<p>You’re not phony! I love this discussion. I agree with the points about Kony. What’s sad is how my entire school is in an uproar over Kony. Hell, people at my school are organizing Kony awareness days and are propagating the message over the intercoms. What the hell? </p>
<p>Each time I criticize Kony, I get lambasted for thinking that it is cool to be counter-culture. No. I’m just stating the facts. Kony hasn’t been around for 5 years, and the charity appears to have less than pure intentions. But then, I suppose that’s human nature. Selflessness is not a virtue; only selfishness is a virtue. </p>
<p>On a side note, I keep listening to this YouTube clip. I don’t know why. I really like the actor’s performance, his enunciation of the words, the background music, and the message in the soliloquy. I’ve been listening to this guy even when doing homework. You’d think that listening to someone talk to you while doing homework would be distracting, but this clip seems to enhance my focus. Does anyone else find this soliloquy particularly enamoring? </p>
<p>@IceQube *disclaimer: I haven’t actually read Hamlet (I really want to though!), but I saw most of the 2000 version a few days ago; any and all knowledge I have of the play comes from what I saw of that version and Boy Meets World.</p>
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<p>Well…yes. I mean he did indeed live, breathe, and walk (in the story), but he didn’t actually do anything that makes a human a human, that is, he never did anything that separated himself from instinctual beasts. He only exhibited the negative, empty aspects of human nature including isolating himself, pitying himself, and mourning for his father. Hamlet really doesn’t show emotions or the depth that human beings are capable of, because he’s completely consumed with horror at the current state of events. I think the closest he ever came to being human was loving Ophelia, and once he denied himself that, he denied himself the possibility or the capability of becoming whole. I think a more human reaction would have been to forgive Claudius, however despicable he may have been…
(Okay let’s just segue into a topic that’s similar and that I’m more familiar with: The Lion King) Simba wasn’t human (oh god, wait, he was never human…) when he spent time with Timon and Pumba. He was completely ignoring the darker side of his past and chose to focus on being carefree and happy. In my opinion, happiness is generally overrated, and just as illogical as grief. Both characters denied themselves a certain fraction of what they were capable of, and therefore couldn’t be whole or human.</p>
<p>Is this making sense? I’m sorry, all of my thoughts on humanity generally come from british scifi…</p>
<p>Okay, so I love Hamlet for this reason. In the 2000 version of this soliloquy, Hamlet was almost completely the opposite; he brooded for the entire play and regressed into a childishness that’s absent from this. I can understand why you’d listen to this when doing homework. I FEEL LIKE I COULD TAKE ON AN ENTIRE ARMY RIGHT NOW. I think it appeals more to megalomaniac side of me rather than the masochist which enjoyed the 2000 version. THIS IS SO BEAUTIFUL… why is he on a mountain? I DON’T EVER CARE.</p>
<p>THIS IS HUMANITY. THIS IS PASSION. THIS IS PERFECTION. Despite the fact that he’s actually plotting the death of another human being I’ve never seen/heard such conviction, it’s devastatingly inspiring.</p>
<p>I agree. The clip is aesthetically perfect. His enunciation is immaculate. I love the way he says “A BEAST … NO MORE,” with that slight pause in there. Some of my other fav. lines from his performance are:</p>
<p>“a thought which quartered have but one part wisdom and three parts coward”</p>
<p>“I DO NOT KNOW WHY I LIVE TO SAY THIS THING’S TO DO.” (YES!!! I FEEL AS IF I CAN TAKE ON ANYTHING. C A R P E D I E M ! ! !) </p>
<p>“Examples gross as earth exhort me.” (sexy enunciation) </p>
<p>“Witness this army of such mass and charge” (His enunciation is just so freaking perfect here).</p>
<p>“Go to their graves like beds” (My morbid side just loves this line)</p>
<p>The ending is just ever so slightly histrionic. A little maudlin, the ending, but nevertheless great. If only I could speak like him.</p>
<p>I was on the bus with a homeless person and his black dog for an hour, and after we got off the bus we ran into each other many times afterwards. the last time I saw him he was sitting cross legged on a busy street in the sun with his dog beside him, eating something. And he had a nice sign and everything asking for donations. He looked happy, like he was enjoying watching everyone go by. He had piercing blue eyes and radiated calmness when i passed him.</p>
<p>If I had been thinking quickly enough I would have thrown him 10 pounds of the raw meat i was carrying for his dog. </p>
<p>Usually I flinch away from the realities of the sane homeless (because i suspect them to often include lots and lots of suffering - that’s what i did when he got on the bus and sat close to me). But after seeing him those times i ended up feeling relieved - i felt like i didn’t have to recoil from him because, after seeing him so much, i realized he was actually probably doing okay. and not recoiling from someone allows you to connect with them.</p>
<p>anyway it’s easy to miscalculate the happiness of people living differently than you do (for example it’s easy to underestimate the happiness of the poor if you’re not, i think),<br>
and because i wish to avoid the suffering of others when the miscalculation of someone’s happiness goes in that direction it often makes me less open to that person.</p>