Energy and Place:
Essential Questions:
1. How does energy production impact* place?
2. How does your sense of place**, environmental ethic and understanding of our energy needs influence your perception and decisions regarding energy production *In defining “impact” you can think about it in terms of the impact on the culture, the health of individuals, the land, the economy, technology and scientific progress, future generations, and/or the sustainability of the resources of a specific location or the planet as a whole.
**“Sense of Place” is a concept that describes the quality of people’s relationship with a place. However, you will develop a definition of sense of place that most resonates with you. Some questions you may consider include: Does sense of place include a connection to the natural world separate from people? Does it include people? Does it include a local sense of place or global? Do you define your sense of place as one of economic positioning, social class, geographic location, and/or connection to community and people? Do you define it as very particular spot that holds special meaning to you? Does your connection to land shape your identity? Do you feel rootless or disconnected from community and/or place?
Project Reflection:
This project was joint between Humanities and Chemistry which I enjoyed because we covered both the science and social aspects of energy and place. We spent the first part of the project defining sense of place, environmental justice, and environmental ethics. Then we moved into the effects of nuclear power and the reactions of various artists to energy production and usage. The third week consisted of defining our own sense of place, various guest speakers, and introduction of nature writing, including the grand style. Also included in this week was one of my favorite parts of this project- the inspiration journals which were a series of journals designed to get the "creative juices" flowing and allow us to focus on different aspects of our sense of place.
One of the major points for me through this project was developing an awareness of both my sense of place and environmental ethics. Through the utilization of the inspiration journals, I was able to identify the parts of my place that made it significant to me. I was able to determine that my connection was spiritual rather than rooted. The habits of heart and mind I had to utilize most were perspective and perseverance. It was difficult for me to completely discover my perspective at first, so I had to use a lot of persevering and thinking to completely figure everything out. Writing a reverse problem that made sense and flowed was also a struggle because it was a difficult task to take on.
I am most proud of is the cohesiveness between my prologue and my reverse poem. Because it was difficult to entirely capture and explain my sense of place and environmental ethics within my reverse poem, I wrote an introduction to help explain my perspectives. Without the added writing, I would have lacked my person reason and thought behind the poem. I believe the prologue added much more meaning and personal relevance to myself. My environmental ethic and sense of place would've been unclear and my grade in those categories of the rubric would've been pointless.
1. How does energy production impact* place?
2. How does your sense of place**, environmental ethic and understanding of our energy needs influence your perception and decisions regarding energy production *In defining “impact” you can think about it in terms of the impact on the culture, the health of individuals, the land, the economy, technology and scientific progress, future generations, and/or the sustainability of the resources of a specific location or the planet as a whole.
**“Sense of Place” is a concept that describes the quality of people’s relationship with a place. However, you will develop a definition of sense of place that most resonates with you. Some questions you may consider include: Does sense of place include a connection to the natural world separate from people? Does it include people? Does it include a local sense of place or global? Do you define your sense of place as one of economic positioning, social class, geographic location, and/or connection to community and people? Do you define it as very particular spot that holds special meaning to you? Does your connection to land shape your identity? Do you feel rootless or disconnected from community and/or place?
Project Reflection:
This project was joint between Humanities and Chemistry which I enjoyed because we covered both the science and social aspects of energy and place. We spent the first part of the project defining sense of place, environmental justice, and environmental ethics. Then we moved into the effects of nuclear power and the reactions of various artists to energy production and usage. The third week consisted of defining our own sense of place, various guest speakers, and introduction of nature writing, including the grand style. Also included in this week was one of my favorite parts of this project- the inspiration journals which were a series of journals designed to get the "creative juices" flowing and allow us to focus on different aspects of our sense of place.
One of the major points for me through this project was developing an awareness of both my sense of place and environmental ethics. Through the utilization of the inspiration journals, I was able to identify the parts of my place that made it significant to me. I was able to determine that my connection was spiritual rather than rooted. The habits of heart and mind I had to utilize most were perspective and perseverance. It was difficult for me to completely discover my perspective at first, so I had to use a lot of persevering and thinking to completely figure everything out. Writing a reverse problem that made sense and flowed was also a struggle because it was a difficult task to take on.
I am most proud of is the cohesiveness between my prologue and my reverse poem. Because it was difficult to entirely capture and explain my sense of place and environmental ethics within my reverse poem, I wrote an introduction to help explain my perspectives. Without the added writing, I would have lacked my person reason and thought behind the poem. I believe the prologue added much more meaning and personal relevance to myself. My environmental ethic and sense of place would've been unclear and my grade in those categories of the rubric would've been pointless.
I definitely enjoyed the integration between Humanities and Chemistry for this project. I felt that the social aspects were covered well in Humanities and the "scientific" components were well covered in Chemistry. Although the two became very separate for the actual projects, I believe it was necessary and overall a very valuable duo. Having the joint guest speakers were also very beneficial for developing an understanding of the current and potential issues specifically in our area. The cohesion between the project was very beneficial in developing my own opinions. This project gave a lot of freedom in following your own opinions and beliefs about energy and place. Because of how informative and engaging this project was, Energy and Place is my favorite project of the year.
Link to Chemistry project
Prologue:
My purpose for writing a “reverse” poem for this project was although humans have a severe impact on the planet, we have the ability to “reverse” many of the changes. In this poem, my environmental ethic is best shown through my views on how we should treat our planet. My emphasis on being more conscious of how our actions are affecting the environment shows that I believe that nature is valuable and is worth protecting. The lines: “we don’t care about the tall pines and blue skies. our real passion is progress. A balance is an unrealistic goal. conservation is not an option” are reversed to become: “Conservation is not an unrealistic goal, a balance is progress. Our real passion is the tall pines and blue skies”. These lines show how I believe we can reverse the problem and help make changes. I believe that it isn't too late to live in harmony with the earth instead of trying to conquer it. We have the ability to make better choices so that our resources last longer and wilderness is preserved for future generations.
Within forests, trees stand with an amount poise and wisdom I can only admire. They've watched the forest develop overtime just as parents watch their children navigate adolescence. I enjoy being nestled within the pines. It’s one of my few places where I can actually find silence, and can find inner-peacefulness. I find comfort in the open-space where the blue-skies seem to go on forever. I found my place for the first time when I moved to Durango. I quickly discovered my love for the rolling hills and mountainous landscape. I feel in love how my skis felt against the snow during the winter and the cool splash of the Animas river during the summer. These things impacted who I chose to be and defined the different things I consist of. With all the stresses of high school and teenage-drama, finding some peace and quiet is what keeps me grounded. Taking time to be quiet and take in the fresh air, is what kept me sane. I enjoy the quietness of the mountains because it welcomes the thoughts I wouldn’t have time for otherwise.
My sense of place is a spiritual connection to the mountainous landscapes and pine forests. I believe nature has both intrinsic and extrinsic values as the wilderness can be beneficial in itself and I don’t believe it is immoral to profit off of nature. Although I believe in using nature for its extrinsic value, we must be conscious of how our actions impact ecosystems and environments or we will surely deplete natural resources and destroy habitats beyond repair. Without preservation of the forests and protection of the environment, the land I hold so closely to my heart will cease to exist. My connection to this place is not dependent on location as much as the environment and serenity that exists in the forests. I find comfort in the peacefulness that can be found in the solidarity and calmness of forests.
The Last Chance
Ivie O’Nan
The earth is our home
until the end.
Maximizing profit
is a priority.
Cleaning up after ourselves
is a thing of the past.
Polluting the atmosphere
everyday.
Protecting the earth
is unnecessary.
Domination
is key.
Preserving the wilderness
no longer.
we pollute
the land and
we protect
luxury
we don’t care about
the tall pines and blue skies.
our real passion is
progress.
A balance is
unrealistic.
conservation is not
an option
we only have
ourselves
to protect.
We know that
easier energy,
is better than
Cleaner energy.
Quit it now.
It’s too late to
save the earth.
it’s our choice to
benefit ourselves.
it’s too late to
try anyways
there are more penalties
for being reckless,
the time has passed.
Realize what is happening
we
waste our resources
we can’t afford to
worry,
it is up to us.
financial positions
outweigh
happy lives.
Realize
it’s time to
get our priorities straight.
we should just
give up.
we will never
succeed together
but we can
make some changes
(now read from bottom to top)
Link to visual poem (prezi): http://prezi.com/kefz-luad7re/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy
Link to Chemistry project
Prologue:
My purpose for writing a “reverse” poem for this project was although humans have a severe impact on the planet, we have the ability to “reverse” many of the changes. In this poem, my environmental ethic is best shown through my views on how we should treat our planet. My emphasis on being more conscious of how our actions are affecting the environment shows that I believe that nature is valuable and is worth protecting. The lines: “we don’t care about the tall pines and blue skies. our real passion is progress. A balance is an unrealistic goal. conservation is not an option” are reversed to become: “Conservation is not an unrealistic goal, a balance is progress. Our real passion is the tall pines and blue skies”. These lines show how I believe we can reverse the problem and help make changes. I believe that it isn't too late to live in harmony with the earth instead of trying to conquer it. We have the ability to make better choices so that our resources last longer and wilderness is preserved for future generations.
Within forests, trees stand with an amount poise and wisdom I can only admire. They've watched the forest develop overtime just as parents watch their children navigate adolescence. I enjoy being nestled within the pines. It’s one of my few places where I can actually find silence, and can find inner-peacefulness. I find comfort in the open-space where the blue-skies seem to go on forever. I found my place for the first time when I moved to Durango. I quickly discovered my love for the rolling hills and mountainous landscape. I feel in love how my skis felt against the snow during the winter and the cool splash of the Animas river during the summer. These things impacted who I chose to be and defined the different things I consist of. With all the stresses of high school and teenage-drama, finding some peace and quiet is what keeps me grounded. Taking time to be quiet and take in the fresh air, is what kept me sane. I enjoy the quietness of the mountains because it welcomes the thoughts I wouldn’t have time for otherwise.
My sense of place is a spiritual connection to the mountainous landscapes and pine forests. I believe nature has both intrinsic and extrinsic values as the wilderness can be beneficial in itself and I don’t believe it is immoral to profit off of nature. Although I believe in using nature for its extrinsic value, we must be conscious of how our actions impact ecosystems and environments or we will surely deplete natural resources and destroy habitats beyond repair. Without preservation of the forests and protection of the environment, the land I hold so closely to my heart will cease to exist. My connection to this place is not dependent on location as much as the environment and serenity that exists in the forests. I find comfort in the peacefulness that can be found in the solidarity and calmness of forests.
The Last Chance
Ivie O’Nan
The earth is our home
until the end.
Maximizing profit
is a priority.
Cleaning up after ourselves
is a thing of the past.
Polluting the atmosphere
everyday.
Protecting the earth
is unnecessary.
Domination
is key.
Preserving the wilderness
no longer.
we pollute
the land and
we protect
luxury
we don’t care about
the tall pines and blue skies.
our real passion is
progress.
A balance is
unrealistic.
conservation is not
an option
we only have
ourselves
to protect.
We know that
easier energy,
is better than
Cleaner energy.
Quit it now.
It’s too late to
save the earth.
it’s our choice to
benefit ourselves.
it’s too late to
try anyways
there are more penalties
for being reckless,
the time has passed.
Realize what is happening
we
waste our resources
we can’t afford to
worry,
it is up to us.
financial positions
outweigh
happy lives.
Realize
it’s time to
get our priorities straight.
we should just
give up.
we will never
succeed together
but we can
make some changes
(now read from bottom to top)
Link to visual poem (prezi): http://prezi.com/kefz-luad7re/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy
Happiness and Meaning:
Essential Questions:
1) What is the purpose of your existence?
2) What is happiness and what makes you happy?
3) What does it mean to live a meaningful life?
4) To what extent can literature shape your personal philosophy on happiness and meaning?
"You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never life if you are looking for the meaning of life." -Albert Camus
Personal Reflection:
This project was unique in the fact there aren't really answers for the essential questions. This project forced us to consider our own beliefs and develop opinions for ourselves about happiness and meaning. One new concept that was challenging for me was our lives being meaningless. In a TED talk by Tony Robbins, he said: "We control what life means to us". This really resonated with me because regardless of whether our lives have meaning or not, we have to power to do what we want during our time. Over the course of this project, I realized that rather than being focused on the purpose of my existence, I should focus on existing and having a pleasant experience while doing so. I do not believe that lives are meaningless and do believe that happiness should be a greater priority than purposefulness. I chose the Camus quote above for my contribution to the inspiration wall because I believe it mirrors one of my newly developed insights of not spending time worrying about the the purposefulness of your life because it doesn't matter anyways.
Project Description: https://docs.google.com/a/animashighschool.com/file/d/0B5ktO3NLUDlcems1NU1kbjZudWM/edit
Questions:
- I will probably always wonder if our lives are purposeful or not.
- Is a meaningful life more important than a happy one?
- What will cause me to believe that my life is/was meaningful?
- Will I end up prioritizing the general definition of "success" over my own happiness like it appears other people do? (Graduate, college, job, family, followed by death, regardless of what I want to do)
Meaning and Happiness: Literary Essay
A major indicator of a well-lived life is the pursuit of meaningfulness. In The Amazing Adventures of Phoenix Jones, Jon Ronson shows how a “real-life superhero” named Phoenix Jones embodies a well-lived life. Phoenix Jones obtains meaningfulness by choice. In a TED Talk by Tony Robbins called “Why We Do What We Do”, he explained that: “We forget the power of decision”. Phoenix acknowledged what he found distasteful and chose to make his life different. Explained well in the TED Talk, people are responsible for creating and maintaining their individual happiness. Phoenix Jones embodies the idea of utilizing life to make a difference and alter the unfavorable aspects. He understood that, while being a superhero could literally be painful, it’s what brought significance to his life. He chose to pursue his passion which made his life meaningful.
Unfortunately, the choice to have a meaningful existence isn’t an easy path. For Phoenix it meant physical and mental exhaustion. The actions of each day are what dictate a life of meaningfulness. The movie Happy identified: “50% of happiness is determined by genetics; 10% is jobs and careers; 40% is varying what you do, ‘spice of life’”. At least 40% of happiness is determined by the person and entirely amendable. In The Amazing Adventures of Phoenix Jones Phoenix Jones decided that he was unhappy with the violence in his community and decided to take it into his own hands. He explained,
“I got tired of people doing things that are morally questionable,” he says. “Everyone’s afraid. It just takes one person to say, ‘I’m not afraid.’ And I guess I’m that guy.” So he retrieved from the floor the mask the robber had used to break into his car, and he made his own mask from it. “They use the mask to conceal their identity,” he says. “I use the mask to become an identity.” (237)
Phoenix finds meaning in his life by being a hero and helping others. Despite various health risks and run-ins with the authorities, Phoenix persevered to keep fighting crime. He did everything in his power to pursue what made him happy and gave his life meaning. Putting on a mask and adventuring into the night seeking trouble isn’t the secret to happiness for everyone, but it was for Phoenix. It didn’t bring him joy to stay up all night, but the idea of it being meaningful increased his personal happiness.
Regardless if it is in the pursuit of the “pleasant life” or a meaningful life, dedication is important. Phoenix along with many of the other “real-life superheroes” displayed well-lived lives through doing what they found impactful. Most were completely dedicated to and passionate about what they were doing, often even putting their hero-status above themselves. In the TED talk by Mike Rowe, he explored the reason for people with less desirable jobs still being happier. He concluded it was because, even though they weren’t chasing their passion, they brought passion with them. Phoenix was an average person by day and an undercover crime-fighter by night. Even though what he was doing was detrimental to his health, he did it anyways,
There’s something infectiously upbeat about him. He’s forever cheerful and positive and energetic. I ask him if he’s addicted to crime-fighting and he says, “Yeah, I guess you could put it into the addiction category. It’s the highlight of my day. Addictions are normally detrimental to health. This is detrimental to my health.” (253)
He was dedicated to making a difference and kept a surprisingly positive attitude even while in the hospital. Even though he was getting hurt, he was dedicated to living his life and making a difference.
There is, however, a limit to how much one can be dedicated. Fighting crime was exceedingly harmful to the health of Phoenix Jones. He was getting harmed frequently and avoided taking time to recover. Even when the doctors told him that he needed to heal, he was right back out there fighting crime and putting himself at risk again. “‘Go home and rest,’ says the doctor, leaving the room. ‘Let’s hit the streets!’ says Phoenix. ‘I’ll get suited up!’”(236). Phoenix very casually brushes off the doctors concern to continue following his passion. Jon Ronson is suggesting than if one is completely dedicated to something they risk burning out. If Phoenix were to burn out, he wouldn’t be able to continue being a hero and there wouldn’t be anything left to make him happy. This showed the importance of people realizing their limits to prevent burning out.
Jon Ronson shows how meaningfulness in life can make well-lived through the character of Phoenix Jones. It is up to us to do things that make us happy and change things that don’t. For Phoenix, taking initiative meant putting on a mask. For others, it might mean quitting a job or volunteering at a homeless shelter. Tendencies of routine can restrict our happiness and often remain habits regardless of our ability to change them. Personal choices, awareness of limits, and bringing passion into everything, can contribute to constructing happiness and meaning in life.
Ivie O'Nan
Personal Philosophy Project Proposal:
Part One Credo:
I’m unsure what the purpose of my existence is or if lives even have purpose. I don’t believe that I will ever life to know if existence really has a purpose, so I strive to have a positive impact regardless if it is for a reason or not. For me, happiness is an important part of living and contributes to my willingness to persevere through life. With no good times, the bad times wouldn’t be worth it. Personally, I define a happy life as one which has an emphasis on good times and that, upon reflection, would be described by the individual as one that was worth it. To me, a life that wasn’t enjoyable would be one that would be silly to endure. We are all in control of our lives and have the ability to choose our actions in a way that allows for us to make things better. A meaningful life doesn’t have to lack happiness and a happy life doesn’t have to lack meaning. To me, a meaningful life is one that positively impacted something. If anything or anyone was positively impacted by the life of someone else, their life had meaning. Their presence made a difference in the world, making their existence have a purpose. I believe that happiness and meaning come hand in hand and without one or the other, life would be much more pointless. Life shouldn’t be endured but embraced. If we don’t like aspects of life, it is up to us to change it. Life-improvement is in the hands of the individual and our existences are up to us. Hopefully my existence will be good for the world. I can be positive, or silly. Careless or dedicated, optimistic or selfless. Whatever I am is up to me and only me. I will not like my boundaries be predefined by others or limited by the norm. I believe that it is pointless to search for the meaning of life or purpose of existence because we won’t ever know anyways. We might as well spending the time we have doing what we want and actually making the differences we want to make. Spending more time acting than thinking about acting is also important to me.
Part Two: I put an Albert Camus quote on the inspiration wall. I put this quote on the wall to express that I think looking for the meaning of life is injudicious because regardless if there is meaning or not, we’ll never really know. I believe that focusing on having a pleasant existence and a positive impact is more important than searching for the meaning of life or lack thereof. Existence is for a reason, don’t dwell on what that reason is because it takes away from your time to exist. The flower represents the simplicity of life and our ability to take the good things away from it.
Part Three:
1. Time should not be wasted on learning the purpose of existence. We all have limited time to live, and we should spend it existing.
2. For my project, I would like to use tape to hide the words on a white canvas and paint it. After painted, you peel the tape off to show the words. I would tape off some words like “You are you. Act like it.” Or maybe something a little less harsh sounding. The words would embody the idea that people are all unique and it’s up to them to impact other things. I will also do an artist’s statement.
3. The words will represent my personal philosophy because I used to really struggle with trying to fit and worrying about not saying or doing the right thing. Now, I do things because I want to. I don’t worry about not being who other people think I should be, only who I think I should be. My artist statement will explain my philosophy and how my art embodies it.
4. Want I want the audience to remember from my art is that it’s important to just be yourself (as cliché as that sounds) because just doing you is the way to live the life you want.
5. Idea in detail-
Step one: obtain blank canvas and paint it using a solid (darker) color
Step two: use painters tape to write words on it
Step three: paint the canvas- sand- glass- (use things that create my happiness or paint something that makes me happy) (using bright/happy colors
Step three: after it’s dry, remove the tape
6. One obstacle I will have to overcome will be picking words to put on the canvas. I’ve already mentioned the parameters for it, but I’ll have to figure out how to embody it completely.
7. I will need canvas, tape, paints, brushes, and maybe some other materials for texture. I will also probably utilize Ms. Roxy because she’s used this concept before, has experience dealing with my thought process, and is good at leading me through my own ideas.
8. This project will take me approximately four hours depending on what exactly I decide to do.
9. I will need a work space to succeed. And possibly some support on the words that embody my personal philosophies.
Happiness and Meaning Seminar Prep
Part One:
Which readings/media best addresses the three essential questions? Tony Robbins TED talk (“We control what life means to us.”)
Choose a reading or piece of media that you think best addresses each-
· What is the purpose of your existence? Alain de Botton TED Talk or Tony Robbins Talk (journal 5)
· What is happiness and what makes one/you happy? “Happy” movie
· What does it mean to live a meaningful life? Jennifer Aaker: Happiness v. Meaning
What is the purpose of your existence?
Tony Robbins definition of success would emphasize chasing your passion. He would probably suggest that the purpose of each person’s existence can, and should, be defined by them (and only them). I believe that it is both a privilege and a responsibility to determine the purposes of our existences. One quote that stood out to me during his talk was “We forget the power of decision.” This statement really resonated with me because I feel that I too forget the power of decision. It can be easy to overlook the power of our decision and that it is up to me to make my life the way I want it. Sometimes I become too focused on the identification of the problem that I don’t try hard enough to fix it. I forget that I have the power to decide what my life means to me. Based on the decisions I make and the goals I have, I can choose to make my life how I want it to be. It is up to me to pursue things that will contribute to a positive existence. Tony Robbins also said: “We control what life means to us”. Connecting to the first paragraph, based on what we don’t like about our lives, we have the ability to make changes. It is up to the individual to decide what the purpose of their existence is and to actively control their lives to make that purpose reality.
What is happiness and what makes one/you happy?
Happiness and what contributes to it is different for everyone. I was talking to my grandma about this unit and she told me that what made her happiest was being helpful and being outside. I was astonished by how quickly she was able to respond to this question. My grandma is the sweetest, stereotypical grandmother and she instantly told me that she wasn’t happy unless she felt like she was helping others whether it be picking up grandchildren from school or making the neighbors a quiche. She’s also 65 years old and an avid mountain biker. I realized that she’s passionately pursuing her happiness and it’s working for her. Whereas a lot of things contribute to my happiness and I cannot simply state two or three things that make me the happiest and will contribute to me feeling like my life is successful. In the movie “Happy” one quote that stood out was: “People who are more oriented on extrinsic (superficial) things were less happy”. We’re all familiar with the saying “money doesn’t buy happiness” but people like my grandma are a prime example of that. Don’t get me wrong, my grandma looks pretty good in her BMW, but giving her time is what makes her happiest and that can’t be bought. Also in “Happy” there was a quote that was: “50% of happiness is determined by genetics; 10% is jobs and careers; 40% is varying what you do, ‘spice of life’” I believe that this ‘spice of life’ is what you do with your time and whether or not you’re utilizing it in the right ways.
What does it mean to live a meaningful life?
A meaningful life is one that affects others positively and “focuses on giving rather than taking”. According to Jennifer Aaker, a meaningful life isn’t always the most happy but makes the lives of others better. “And so, the meaningful life guides actions from the past through the present to the future, giving one a sense of direction. It offers ways to value good and bad alike, and gives us justifications for our aspirations. From achieving our goals to regarding ourselves in a positive light, a life of meaningfulness is considerably different than mere happiness.” A meaningful life is one that is guided by purpose rather than happiness which can be perceived as the less selfish path of life.
Part Two:
“The Paradox of Choice” by Barry Schwartz
Main points:
· Pressure due to excessive amount of choices.
· Even if we manage to make a choice, we end up less satisfied. If the choice isn’t perfect it’s easy to imagine another choice being better. More options= n more opportunity to regret the choice you made.
· Too many alternatives that have to be rejected.
· Missing opportunities?
· Expectations go up as amount of choices go up
· The secret to happiness is low expectations
· Self-blame. You are responsible for not making the best choice.
I found this talk to be very interesting because it addresses the relationship between personal choice, and happiness. Before watching it, I might have assumed that if I was provided options to choose from, I would naturally choose the best one that would make me the happiest. However this talk explored the research that choice makes results in decreased happiness. One aspect of choice that decreases happiness is the pressure of choice and the possible consequences of not making the right choice. Another is that as the amount of choices increases, so do our expectations, leaving us less happy when our choice doesn’t meet our expectation. The idea of not making the best choice and missing opportunities also decreases our happiness. After the choice, self-blame for not making the right choice and the idea that another option would've been better can also decrease happiness. The ideas in this talk all make sense to me and I agree with the big ideas. One thing I don’t necessarily agree with is that low expectations are the secret to happiness. I think that lowering expectations just lowers the authenticity and depth of happiness achieved. It’s interesting to consider how our choices affect our happiness.
Question- If choices make you less happy, would you want to live in a world where you made fewer choices? What if decisions like your outfit or what you ordered at a restaurant were made for you?
1) What is the purpose of your existence?
2) What is happiness and what makes you happy?
3) What does it mean to live a meaningful life?
4) To what extent can literature shape your personal philosophy on happiness and meaning?
"You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never life if you are looking for the meaning of life." -Albert Camus
Personal Reflection:
This project was unique in the fact there aren't really answers for the essential questions. This project forced us to consider our own beliefs and develop opinions for ourselves about happiness and meaning. One new concept that was challenging for me was our lives being meaningless. In a TED talk by Tony Robbins, he said: "We control what life means to us". This really resonated with me because regardless of whether our lives have meaning or not, we have to power to do what we want during our time. Over the course of this project, I realized that rather than being focused on the purpose of my existence, I should focus on existing and having a pleasant experience while doing so. I do not believe that lives are meaningless and do believe that happiness should be a greater priority than purposefulness. I chose the Camus quote above for my contribution to the inspiration wall because I believe it mirrors one of my newly developed insights of not spending time worrying about the the purposefulness of your life because it doesn't matter anyways.
Project Description: https://docs.google.com/a/animashighschool.com/file/d/0B5ktO3NLUDlcems1NU1kbjZudWM/edit
Questions:
- I will probably always wonder if our lives are purposeful or not.
- Is a meaningful life more important than a happy one?
- What will cause me to believe that my life is/was meaningful?
- Will I end up prioritizing the general definition of "success" over my own happiness like it appears other people do? (Graduate, college, job, family, followed by death, regardless of what I want to do)
Meaning and Happiness: Literary Essay
A major indicator of a well-lived life is the pursuit of meaningfulness. In The Amazing Adventures of Phoenix Jones, Jon Ronson shows how a “real-life superhero” named Phoenix Jones embodies a well-lived life. Phoenix Jones obtains meaningfulness by choice. In a TED Talk by Tony Robbins called “Why We Do What We Do”, he explained that: “We forget the power of decision”. Phoenix acknowledged what he found distasteful and chose to make his life different. Explained well in the TED Talk, people are responsible for creating and maintaining their individual happiness. Phoenix Jones embodies the idea of utilizing life to make a difference and alter the unfavorable aspects. He understood that, while being a superhero could literally be painful, it’s what brought significance to his life. He chose to pursue his passion which made his life meaningful.
Unfortunately, the choice to have a meaningful existence isn’t an easy path. For Phoenix it meant physical and mental exhaustion. The actions of each day are what dictate a life of meaningfulness. The movie Happy identified: “50% of happiness is determined by genetics; 10% is jobs and careers; 40% is varying what you do, ‘spice of life’”. At least 40% of happiness is determined by the person and entirely amendable. In The Amazing Adventures of Phoenix Jones Phoenix Jones decided that he was unhappy with the violence in his community and decided to take it into his own hands. He explained,
“I got tired of people doing things that are morally questionable,” he says. “Everyone’s afraid. It just takes one person to say, ‘I’m not afraid.’ And I guess I’m that guy.” So he retrieved from the floor the mask the robber had used to break into his car, and he made his own mask from it. “They use the mask to conceal their identity,” he says. “I use the mask to become an identity.” (237)
Phoenix finds meaning in his life by being a hero and helping others. Despite various health risks and run-ins with the authorities, Phoenix persevered to keep fighting crime. He did everything in his power to pursue what made him happy and gave his life meaning. Putting on a mask and adventuring into the night seeking trouble isn’t the secret to happiness for everyone, but it was for Phoenix. It didn’t bring him joy to stay up all night, but the idea of it being meaningful increased his personal happiness.
Regardless if it is in the pursuit of the “pleasant life” or a meaningful life, dedication is important. Phoenix along with many of the other “real-life superheroes” displayed well-lived lives through doing what they found impactful. Most were completely dedicated to and passionate about what they were doing, often even putting their hero-status above themselves. In the TED talk by Mike Rowe, he explored the reason for people with less desirable jobs still being happier. He concluded it was because, even though they weren’t chasing their passion, they brought passion with them. Phoenix was an average person by day and an undercover crime-fighter by night. Even though what he was doing was detrimental to his health, he did it anyways,
There’s something infectiously upbeat about him. He’s forever cheerful and positive and energetic. I ask him if he’s addicted to crime-fighting and he says, “Yeah, I guess you could put it into the addiction category. It’s the highlight of my day. Addictions are normally detrimental to health. This is detrimental to my health.” (253)
He was dedicated to making a difference and kept a surprisingly positive attitude even while in the hospital. Even though he was getting hurt, he was dedicated to living his life and making a difference.
There is, however, a limit to how much one can be dedicated. Fighting crime was exceedingly harmful to the health of Phoenix Jones. He was getting harmed frequently and avoided taking time to recover. Even when the doctors told him that he needed to heal, he was right back out there fighting crime and putting himself at risk again. “‘Go home and rest,’ says the doctor, leaving the room. ‘Let’s hit the streets!’ says Phoenix. ‘I’ll get suited up!’”(236). Phoenix very casually brushes off the doctors concern to continue following his passion. Jon Ronson is suggesting than if one is completely dedicated to something they risk burning out. If Phoenix were to burn out, he wouldn’t be able to continue being a hero and there wouldn’t be anything left to make him happy. This showed the importance of people realizing their limits to prevent burning out.
Jon Ronson shows how meaningfulness in life can make well-lived through the character of Phoenix Jones. It is up to us to do things that make us happy and change things that don’t. For Phoenix, taking initiative meant putting on a mask. For others, it might mean quitting a job or volunteering at a homeless shelter. Tendencies of routine can restrict our happiness and often remain habits regardless of our ability to change them. Personal choices, awareness of limits, and bringing passion into everything, can contribute to constructing happiness and meaning in life.
Ivie O'Nan
Personal Philosophy Project Proposal:
Part One Credo:
I’m unsure what the purpose of my existence is or if lives even have purpose. I don’t believe that I will ever life to know if existence really has a purpose, so I strive to have a positive impact regardless if it is for a reason or not. For me, happiness is an important part of living and contributes to my willingness to persevere through life. With no good times, the bad times wouldn’t be worth it. Personally, I define a happy life as one which has an emphasis on good times and that, upon reflection, would be described by the individual as one that was worth it. To me, a life that wasn’t enjoyable would be one that would be silly to endure. We are all in control of our lives and have the ability to choose our actions in a way that allows for us to make things better. A meaningful life doesn’t have to lack happiness and a happy life doesn’t have to lack meaning. To me, a meaningful life is one that positively impacted something. If anything or anyone was positively impacted by the life of someone else, their life had meaning. Their presence made a difference in the world, making their existence have a purpose. I believe that happiness and meaning come hand in hand and without one or the other, life would be much more pointless. Life shouldn’t be endured but embraced. If we don’t like aspects of life, it is up to us to change it. Life-improvement is in the hands of the individual and our existences are up to us. Hopefully my existence will be good for the world. I can be positive, or silly. Careless or dedicated, optimistic or selfless. Whatever I am is up to me and only me. I will not like my boundaries be predefined by others or limited by the norm. I believe that it is pointless to search for the meaning of life or purpose of existence because we won’t ever know anyways. We might as well spending the time we have doing what we want and actually making the differences we want to make. Spending more time acting than thinking about acting is also important to me.
Part Two: I put an Albert Camus quote on the inspiration wall. I put this quote on the wall to express that I think looking for the meaning of life is injudicious because regardless if there is meaning or not, we’ll never really know. I believe that focusing on having a pleasant existence and a positive impact is more important than searching for the meaning of life or lack thereof. Existence is for a reason, don’t dwell on what that reason is because it takes away from your time to exist. The flower represents the simplicity of life and our ability to take the good things away from it.
Part Three:
1. Time should not be wasted on learning the purpose of existence. We all have limited time to live, and we should spend it existing.
2. For my project, I would like to use tape to hide the words on a white canvas and paint it. After painted, you peel the tape off to show the words. I would tape off some words like “You are you. Act like it.” Or maybe something a little less harsh sounding. The words would embody the idea that people are all unique and it’s up to them to impact other things. I will also do an artist’s statement.
3. The words will represent my personal philosophy because I used to really struggle with trying to fit and worrying about not saying or doing the right thing. Now, I do things because I want to. I don’t worry about not being who other people think I should be, only who I think I should be. My artist statement will explain my philosophy and how my art embodies it.
4. Want I want the audience to remember from my art is that it’s important to just be yourself (as cliché as that sounds) because just doing you is the way to live the life you want.
5. Idea in detail-
Step one: obtain blank canvas and paint it using a solid (darker) color
Step two: use painters tape to write words on it
Step three: paint the canvas- sand- glass- (use things that create my happiness or paint something that makes me happy) (using bright/happy colors
Step three: after it’s dry, remove the tape
6. One obstacle I will have to overcome will be picking words to put on the canvas. I’ve already mentioned the parameters for it, but I’ll have to figure out how to embody it completely.
7. I will need canvas, tape, paints, brushes, and maybe some other materials for texture. I will also probably utilize Ms. Roxy because she’s used this concept before, has experience dealing with my thought process, and is good at leading me through my own ideas.
8. This project will take me approximately four hours depending on what exactly I decide to do.
9. I will need a work space to succeed. And possibly some support on the words that embody my personal philosophies.
Happiness and Meaning Seminar Prep
Part One:
Which readings/media best addresses the three essential questions? Tony Robbins TED talk (“We control what life means to us.”)
Choose a reading or piece of media that you think best addresses each-
· What is the purpose of your existence? Alain de Botton TED Talk or Tony Robbins Talk (journal 5)
· What is happiness and what makes one/you happy? “Happy” movie
· What does it mean to live a meaningful life? Jennifer Aaker: Happiness v. Meaning
What is the purpose of your existence?
Tony Robbins definition of success would emphasize chasing your passion. He would probably suggest that the purpose of each person’s existence can, and should, be defined by them (and only them). I believe that it is both a privilege and a responsibility to determine the purposes of our existences. One quote that stood out to me during his talk was “We forget the power of decision.” This statement really resonated with me because I feel that I too forget the power of decision. It can be easy to overlook the power of our decision and that it is up to me to make my life the way I want it. Sometimes I become too focused on the identification of the problem that I don’t try hard enough to fix it. I forget that I have the power to decide what my life means to me. Based on the decisions I make and the goals I have, I can choose to make my life how I want it to be. It is up to me to pursue things that will contribute to a positive existence. Tony Robbins also said: “We control what life means to us”. Connecting to the first paragraph, based on what we don’t like about our lives, we have the ability to make changes. It is up to the individual to decide what the purpose of their existence is and to actively control their lives to make that purpose reality.
What is happiness and what makes one/you happy?
Happiness and what contributes to it is different for everyone. I was talking to my grandma about this unit and she told me that what made her happiest was being helpful and being outside. I was astonished by how quickly she was able to respond to this question. My grandma is the sweetest, stereotypical grandmother and she instantly told me that she wasn’t happy unless she felt like she was helping others whether it be picking up grandchildren from school or making the neighbors a quiche. She’s also 65 years old and an avid mountain biker. I realized that she’s passionately pursuing her happiness and it’s working for her. Whereas a lot of things contribute to my happiness and I cannot simply state two or three things that make me the happiest and will contribute to me feeling like my life is successful. In the movie “Happy” one quote that stood out was: “People who are more oriented on extrinsic (superficial) things were less happy”. We’re all familiar with the saying “money doesn’t buy happiness” but people like my grandma are a prime example of that. Don’t get me wrong, my grandma looks pretty good in her BMW, but giving her time is what makes her happiest and that can’t be bought. Also in “Happy” there was a quote that was: “50% of happiness is determined by genetics; 10% is jobs and careers; 40% is varying what you do, ‘spice of life’” I believe that this ‘spice of life’ is what you do with your time and whether or not you’re utilizing it in the right ways.
What does it mean to live a meaningful life?
A meaningful life is one that affects others positively and “focuses on giving rather than taking”. According to Jennifer Aaker, a meaningful life isn’t always the most happy but makes the lives of others better. “And so, the meaningful life guides actions from the past through the present to the future, giving one a sense of direction. It offers ways to value good and bad alike, and gives us justifications for our aspirations. From achieving our goals to regarding ourselves in a positive light, a life of meaningfulness is considerably different than mere happiness.” A meaningful life is one that is guided by purpose rather than happiness which can be perceived as the less selfish path of life.
Part Two:
“The Paradox of Choice” by Barry Schwartz
Main points:
· Pressure due to excessive amount of choices.
· Even if we manage to make a choice, we end up less satisfied. If the choice isn’t perfect it’s easy to imagine another choice being better. More options= n more opportunity to regret the choice you made.
· Too many alternatives that have to be rejected.
· Missing opportunities?
· Expectations go up as amount of choices go up
· The secret to happiness is low expectations
· Self-blame. You are responsible for not making the best choice.
I found this talk to be very interesting because it addresses the relationship between personal choice, and happiness. Before watching it, I might have assumed that if I was provided options to choose from, I would naturally choose the best one that would make me the happiest. However this talk explored the research that choice makes results in decreased happiness. One aspect of choice that decreases happiness is the pressure of choice and the possible consequences of not making the right choice. Another is that as the amount of choices increases, so do our expectations, leaving us less happy when our choice doesn’t meet our expectation. The idea of not making the best choice and missing opportunities also decreases our happiness. After the choice, self-blame for not making the right choice and the idea that another option would've been better can also decrease happiness. The ideas in this talk all make sense to me and I agree with the big ideas. One thing I don’t necessarily agree with is that low expectations are the secret to happiness. I think that lowering expectations just lowers the authenticity and depth of happiness achieved. It’s interesting to consider how our choices affect our happiness.
Question- If choices make you less happy, would you want to live in a world where you made fewer choices? What if decisions like your outfit or what you ordered at a restaurant were made for you?
This I Believe Project:
Essential Question- I chose to focus my essay on my belief of laughter and the positive ways it effects our lives because of the experiences I've encountered in my life and how they've taught me that there is always hope for things to get better.
Credo- I believe in laughter. I believe in the type of laughter with the strength to take your breath away. The type of laughter that consumes every thought just because of a cheesy joke or an accidental tumble. I believe that uncontrollable, side-splitting, rolling-on-the-floor, watery-eyed laughter really is the best medicine. These are the moments we are going to remember, and cherish. A hushed giggle or thundering cackle. Even in the saddest of times, a simple chuckle can break through the sadness and provide a glimmer of cheerfulness. Getting up, brushing the dirt away, and laughing it off is the best way to recover from the times we fall down in our lives. Get up, and move on with your life- but don’t forget to surround yourself with things and people that make you smile along the way.
Better Days
Ivie O’Nan
I believe that uncontrollable, side-splitting, rolling-on-the-floor, watery-eyed laughter really is the best medicine. I believe that each laugh is something special. Laughing is simple and easy. Two things that life itself is not. The things that make us laugh are also special things. However these special things, the things with the ability to make us happy, can be taken away from us in a heartbeat. These special, little, simple moments are the most important. Even in the saddest of times, a simple chuckle can break through the sadness and provide a glimmer of cheerfulness. Getting up, brushing the dirt away, and laughing it off is the best way to recover from the times we fall down in our lives.
I believe that some of the best nights are spent casually spending time with close friends playfully teasing and joking about old memories. These simple moments are the ones that always seem to be overlooked. Even though these simple moments are spent happy.
My great-grandma is so caring; never forgetting to send a birthday card to her dozens of family members, always greeting you at the door with open arms, and always sending you on your way with an extra hug. Two days after my great-grandpa died I was sent to the hospital for an infection, and his funeral was the day after I got out of the hospital. Seeing the tears roll from my great-grandmother’s gentle eyes shattered my heart. And watching everyone circle around, each embracing her in attempt to comfort the gap she hadn't known for over 40 years, seemed to shatter it again. I had been quarantined and was encouraged to avoid excessive contact with other people. I wasn’t allowed to hug her, wasn’t allowed to hug the family members who had traveled miles for the occasion, I wasn’t allowed to do something as simple as give a hug.
And at that moment, I became grateful for the times I had hugged her, and began to be grateful for every time I would after that.
The point of all this, is that it’s the little things in life that we should take time to notice, appreciate, and be grateful for. A soft hug, a birthday card, a hushed giggle, a caring friend. These are the things that matter to me. Every hug, every day, every moment.
There is not always time for a sincere laugh, but there must be some reason to smile every minute. So even on the hardest days, I get up and move on with my life. If a day without laughter really one that is wasted, I want to make sure not to waste any days.
This I Believe Essay Reflection:
For this essay, each student ultimately chose a core belief that was important to them in a unique way. Prior to deciding on a belief, we read many examples of This I Believe essays. Each essay I read was very different, which helped me learn how unique I could make my essay. Before we began writing, we focused on 3 skills to help improve our writing and to help us successfully convey why our beliefs were significant to us; narrative coherence, communal relevance, and authentic voice. Narrative coherence is one’s ability to tell a story that is consistent throughout. Communal relevance is the significance and relevance to other people around you and those who will be reading the essay. This is important when wanting your writing to be interesting, connectable, and engaging. Authentic voice is the individuality and uniqueness that shows in your writing.
In order to articulate my core belief and explain my experiences that have helped me acknowledge it, I first reflected on a This I Believe essay that I wrote several years ago, and adapted that belief into one that is more relevant to me now. I used the recent experiences of an illness along with the death of a close family member to help support my restructured belief. Specifically, in my essay from 8th grade, I choose to focus on how laughter is important in our lives whereas in my recent essay, I focused on the importance of laughter and how we can use it to get through the hard times.
Through obtaining and understanding of authentic voice, I believe that I was able to maintain my own throughout my writing. I’m most proud of using my authentic voice to help the reader understand my belief. Specifically I think authentic voice is beneficial in my hook: “I believe that uncontrollable, side-splitting, rolling-on-the-floor, watery-eyed laughter really is the best medicine.”. I think understanding character development was critical in introducing my great-grandmother and her role in my evidence. Instead of just saying that she is “nice” or “thoughtful” she was better described as: “never forgetting to send a birthday card to her dozens of family members, relentlessly greeting you at the door with open arms, and always sending you on your way with an extra hug”. Ultimately, comprehension and application of these skills greatly improved my essay and contributed to sharing my belief.
My essay could definitely be refined by elaborating further in the end to help clarify and connect my ideas in order to help the reader understand why I have the beliefs that I do. If I would have tied some of the loose ends in the concluding paragraph together, I could have solidified my belief even further. In the first stages of writing my essay, I struggled with sticking to a clear belief. Although I was able to morph my beliefs together, if I would have been able to stick with one idea initially, my writing would have stayed much more concise.
Participating in this project has influenced my thinking by allowing me to read and learn about the beliefs of others and how their experiences have shaped them. I was also about to reflect on my personal experiences and recognize how they have shaped my beliefs. This has expanded my perspective by allowing me to see how truly unique each person is because of the compilation of each unique experience they encounter. Even simple events can completely alter beliefs, and each person encounters countless things that change how they look at the world. I haven’t experienced things that other people have and they haven’t experienced what I have, but by attempting to understand the beliefs of others I believe that the world will be a more accepting and considerate place.
Credo- I believe in laughter. I believe in the type of laughter with the strength to take your breath away. The type of laughter that consumes every thought just because of a cheesy joke or an accidental tumble. I believe that uncontrollable, side-splitting, rolling-on-the-floor, watery-eyed laughter really is the best medicine. These are the moments we are going to remember, and cherish. A hushed giggle or thundering cackle. Even in the saddest of times, a simple chuckle can break through the sadness and provide a glimmer of cheerfulness. Getting up, brushing the dirt away, and laughing it off is the best way to recover from the times we fall down in our lives. Get up, and move on with your life- but don’t forget to surround yourself with things and people that make you smile along the way.
Better Days
Ivie O’Nan
I believe that uncontrollable, side-splitting, rolling-on-the-floor, watery-eyed laughter really is the best medicine. I believe that each laugh is something special. Laughing is simple and easy. Two things that life itself is not. The things that make us laugh are also special things. However these special things, the things with the ability to make us happy, can be taken away from us in a heartbeat. These special, little, simple moments are the most important. Even in the saddest of times, a simple chuckle can break through the sadness and provide a glimmer of cheerfulness. Getting up, brushing the dirt away, and laughing it off is the best way to recover from the times we fall down in our lives.
I believe that some of the best nights are spent casually spending time with close friends playfully teasing and joking about old memories. These simple moments are the ones that always seem to be overlooked. Even though these simple moments are spent happy.
My great-grandma is so caring; never forgetting to send a birthday card to her dozens of family members, always greeting you at the door with open arms, and always sending you on your way with an extra hug. Two days after my great-grandpa died I was sent to the hospital for an infection, and his funeral was the day after I got out of the hospital. Seeing the tears roll from my great-grandmother’s gentle eyes shattered my heart. And watching everyone circle around, each embracing her in attempt to comfort the gap she hadn't known for over 40 years, seemed to shatter it again. I had been quarantined and was encouraged to avoid excessive contact with other people. I wasn’t allowed to hug her, wasn’t allowed to hug the family members who had traveled miles for the occasion, I wasn’t allowed to do something as simple as give a hug.
And at that moment, I became grateful for the times I had hugged her, and began to be grateful for every time I would after that.
The point of all this, is that it’s the little things in life that we should take time to notice, appreciate, and be grateful for. A soft hug, a birthday card, a hushed giggle, a caring friend. These are the things that matter to me. Every hug, every day, every moment.
There is not always time for a sincere laugh, but there must be some reason to smile every minute. So even on the hardest days, I get up and move on with my life. If a day without laughter really one that is wasted, I want to make sure not to waste any days.
This I Believe Essay Reflection:
For this essay, each student ultimately chose a core belief that was important to them in a unique way. Prior to deciding on a belief, we read many examples of This I Believe essays. Each essay I read was very different, which helped me learn how unique I could make my essay. Before we began writing, we focused on 3 skills to help improve our writing and to help us successfully convey why our beliefs were significant to us; narrative coherence, communal relevance, and authentic voice. Narrative coherence is one’s ability to tell a story that is consistent throughout. Communal relevance is the significance and relevance to other people around you and those who will be reading the essay. This is important when wanting your writing to be interesting, connectable, and engaging. Authentic voice is the individuality and uniqueness that shows in your writing.
In order to articulate my core belief and explain my experiences that have helped me acknowledge it, I first reflected on a This I Believe essay that I wrote several years ago, and adapted that belief into one that is more relevant to me now. I used the recent experiences of an illness along with the death of a close family member to help support my restructured belief. Specifically, in my essay from 8th grade, I choose to focus on how laughter is important in our lives whereas in my recent essay, I focused on the importance of laughter and how we can use it to get through the hard times.
Through obtaining and understanding of authentic voice, I believe that I was able to maintain my own throughout my writing. I’m most proud of using my authentic voice to help the reader understand my belief. Specifically I think authentic voice is beneficial in my hook: “I believe that uncontrollable, side-splitting, rolling-on-the-floor, watery-eyed laughter really is the best medicine.”. I think understanding character development was critical in introducing my great-grandmother and her role in my evidence. Instead of just saying that she is “nice” or “thoughtful” she was better described as: “never forgetting to send a birthday card to her dozens of family members, relentlessly greeting you at the door with open arms, and always sending you on your way with an extra hug”. Ultimately, comprehension and application of these skills greatly improved my essay and contributed to sharing my belief.
My essay could definitely be refined by elaborating further in the end to help clarify and connect my ideas in order to help the reader understand why I have the beliefs that I do. If I would have tied some of the loose ends in the concluding paragraph together, I could have solidified my belief even further. In the first stages of writing my essay, I struggled with sticking to a clear belief. Although I was able to morph my beliefs together, if I would have been able to stick with one idea initially, my writing would have stayed much more concise.
Participating in this project has influenced my thinking by allowing me to read and learn about the beliefs of others and how their experiences have shaped them. I was also about to reflect on my personal experiences and recognize how they have shaped my beliefs. This has expanded my perspective by allowing me to see how truly unique each person is because of the compilation of each unique experience they encounter. Even simple events can completely alter beliefs, and each person encounters countless things that change how they look at the world. I haven’t experienced things that other people have and they haven’t experienced what I have, but by attempting to understand the beliefs of others I believe that the world will be a more accepting and considerate place.