Socrates believed that the unexamined life was not worth living. I have come to understand that Socrates was a pretty intelligent man, but I don't agree. I think that life is really about doing what you can to be happy, and I'm sure that philosophizing made Socrates one happy camper. But what if 'examining your life' isn't what makes you happy?
Socrates knew that there are risks when studying philosophy. Sometimes the truth is scary. Sometimes the truth is painful. Maybe philosophy isn't everyone's cup of tea. And what's wrong with that? They could suffer from stupidity, but if they are happy why would anyone else have the right to say that their life is 'unworthy' of living.
I might even argue a step further that is someone is to over examine their life, they wouldn't be living their life to its full potential. What if all you do is sit around and think about your ideals? Its all fun and good that you have that sorted out, but what about actually living?
Personally, I believe that I should take time to think about very complex questions. I believe that I should participate is debates and politics, but only because those things happen to interest me. And if they didn't, I wouldn't take the time think about them.
The person that I can have these philosophical debates with is my mother. She is the modern day Socrates. Mostly because she seems to question everything I do. She makes me rethink everything that I believed I had a firm platform on. She doesn't really provide me with any answers, or at the very least her beliefs because wants me to come to my own conclusions. Its actually really frustrating. I'm pretty sure she philosophizes for fun. She also may or may not have forced me to taking Honors Philosophy.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Eulogy
Kennedy Baldwin!
What can we say about Kennedy Baldwin?
Can we say that she accomplished much? Can we say that she did all the things that her mother said she outta? Can we say that one thing defined her? No, in fact we can't.
There were so many things that she felt she should be able to identify with. She was half African American, and half Puertorican. But she never felt as though this connected her to anybody.
She was an athlete. But she usually did her best to avoid competition, because she hated being at odds with another person.
And though she tried to be very social, she actually would prefer to be at home than at a party.
But I believe that things things allowed her to be the carefree person that she was. She did not pass judge books by their covers, she did not demand peoples attention, and she tried to keep a positive attitude about most things. Most of the time, she just wanted to laugh.
Every summer, she went to a camp. It was in the middle of nowhere, really (Missouri). And it was the most important place in the world to her. The people she met became her family. And though she had absolutely no idea what she was going to do with her life, she knew that she would work there as a counselor. This was the only goal she was willing to do anything to accomplish. Yes of course family, friends, and college were very important. But in the end, this was what she knew would make her happy (even though her mother had a very set plan of her becoming a doctor).
And so we mourn her death, but also we might be slightly jealous. That in just 16 short years, she managed to find the place on earth where she was happiest. The place where she was not insecure. The place where she was always laughing.
What can we say about Kennedy Baldwin?
Can we say that she accomplished much? Can we say that she did all the things that her mother said she outta? Can we say that one thing defined her? No, in fact we can't.
There were so many things that she felt she should be able to identify with. She was half African American, and half Puertorican. But she never felt as though this connected her to anybody.
She was an athlete. But she usually did her best to avoid competition, because she hated being at odds with another person.
And though she tried to be very social, she actually would prefer to be at home than at a party.
But I believe that things things allowed her to be the carefree person that she was. She did not pass judge books by their covers, she did not demand peoples attention, and she tried to keep a positive attitude about most things. Most of the time, she just wanted to laugh.
Every summer, she went to a camp. It was in the middle of nowhere, really (Missouri). And it was the most important place in the world to her. The people she met became her family. And though she had absolutely no idea what she was going to do with her life, she knew that she would work there as a counselor. This was the only goal she was willing to do anything to accomplish. Yes of course family, friends, and college were very important. But in the end, this was what she knew would make her happy (even though her mother had a very set plan of her becoming a doctor).
And so we mourn her death, but also we might be slightly jealous. That in just 16 short years, she managed to find the place on earth where she was happiest. The place where she was not insecure. The place where she was always laughing.
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