Lauren Fisher
Dr. Adam Johns
ENGCMP 0200 – Seminar in Composition
September 30, 2008
What Are People For?
Why am I here? What am I here for? Few people know the answers to these two questions. Instead of thinking a good deal about this, most people just go on with their lives, attempting to find some meaning in their jobs, families, friends, or leisure time. However, few people find the meaning they’re looking for in these people and things alone. Most find their jobs tiresome and meaningless and only work to receive a paycheck. Some believe that retirement will make their lives better, but then they must deal with failing health, loneliness, and boredom. Even our own families and friends can be a source of disappointment. Relatives die, children grow up and move away, and friends can sometimes be disloyal. Still others search for meaning in recreational activities, such as watching mindless TV or playing a sport. So how do people find meaning in their lives? How do they realize and understand their role on this planet and in our society? Many different types of philosophies and religions try to answer these questions and get their followers to live their lives according to these already existing ideas. In my personal opinion, I believe that people’s roles are to love, to feel, and to enjoy the act of living.
There are many different types of modern philosophies that encompass a variety of views on the meaning of life, but the one that I agree with most is Existentialism. Existentialism focuses on the meaning that people create for their own lives. It also states that each man and each woman creates the essence, or meaning, of his and her life. Bill McKibben starts off his novel “Enough” with the example of him running a marathon. McKibben writes, “When it was done, I had a clearer sense of myself, of my power and my frailty. […] As meaningless as it was to the world, that’s how meaningful it was to me” (2). McKibben goes back to this example several times throughout his novel to show how running is one of the things that gives his life purpose and meaning. He later says that running “is one of the contexts I’ve created for myself, one of the things that order my life, fills it with metaphor and meaning” (McKibben 48). Also, “the point [of running] has to do with seeking out my limits, centering my attention: finding out who I am” (McKibben 49). Through this example we can see that people are often able to give their lives meaning by finding something that they’re passionate about. For me, singing is my passion. I may not be a professional singer and I don’t have realistic aspirations of starring on Broadway one day, but I do take great joy in singing in a choir and sharing my love of music with my peers. By using this passion, I am able to discover layers of myself that I never even knew existed and feel truly happy when I lose myself in song.
Another way people associate their role and purpose in life is through religion. Although I don’t know too much about it, I’ve learned that Christianity believes that God alone is the source of meaning in life and that He alone can bring genuine fulfillment to our work and relationships. Also, Christians must “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). Devout Christians believe that the true meaning of life, simply put, is to love and serve God. In his novel, “Challenging Nature,” Lee M. Silver discusses many different religions, including fundamentalists. He writes, “A fundamentalist is a person who has absolute faith in the absolute truth of his or her convictions, so that no amount of factual data can ever dislodge them” (Silver 28). Silver also reveals that “fundamentalism has a huge following in the United States, where 30 percent of adults believe ‘the Bible is the actual word of God and it is to be taken literally, word for word’” (Silver 29). This provides evidence that some religions rely solely on their religious text to show them how to live their lives meaningfully by having a strong connection to God. My religion, Judaism, shares many similar values with Christianity. Judaism believes that the purpose of life is to serve God and to prepare for the world to come. Jews are taught to believe in a single, omniscient, omnipotent, omnibenevolent, transcendent God, who created the universe and governs it. Although I may not follow every single commandment that is in the Torah, I still consider myself connected with God. However, I am not an Orthodox Jew and I don’t believe that my own life’s meaning and my relationship with God necessarily go hand-in-hand. I observe many of the Jewish holidays and rituals but this has more to do with my religious upbringing than my need to find meaning in every aspect of my life through God.
Other people that don’t solely base their views on philosophies and religions might find their meaning of life through happiness. Happiness is at the heart of our lives and our demand for a meaning. Without happiness, life loses meaning. If you work a nine-to-five job everyday of your life but feel miserable doing it, then you are not living your life to its fullest potential and you are not happy. In addition, a life without love and friendship is a meaningless life. In my opinion, the meaning of life is given by love and friendship. George Sand, a French writer, once wrote, “There is only one way of happiness, in life: to love and be loved.” I definitely support this quote. People are innately social and will often measure their level of happiness based on their social interactions with others. There is no greater feeling of loving someone, and being loved in return. I am usually an optimistic person who tries to make my own life joyful and usually have a smile on my face. When I am with my friends or family and I feel happy, I feel like my life has a purpose and I am getting the most out of it. The worst thing to do is to watch your life pass you by and just be a bystander on the sidelines. Other people might find their true purpose in seeking wisdom and knowledge, or by doing the right thing. Education and righteousness are two important things to possess and can help lead to a happier existence. One possible counterargument is that “one should not seek to know and understand the meaning of life.” Some believe that the answer is too profound to be known and understood. Others believe that you will never life if you are constantly searching for your own meaning of life. Whether you do believe in a meaning of life or believe that you should not know, you will still be able to live your life with a purpose and to take pleasure in the act of living.
In short, the meaning of life is to make life meaningful. That’s it. If you do the things you like to do and feel alive when you’re running your 200th mile, then you have found purpose in your life. If you believe that God is your creator and you must follow each of his laws and teachings to find meaning in your life, then you have just avoided an empty life. If you feel most happy when you’re surrounded by your loved ones, then you are enjoying your life and having fun. There are a myriad of possible answers to the question “What is the meaning of life?” but the only answer that matters is the one that you believe. Life is what you make of it and the meaning of life is not the same for everyone. Every person is allowed to live their life as they want to. It is important to find the way that you want to live your life and live it like that. No one out there will tell you the meaning of your life for you, so you will just have to go out there and discover it for yourself.
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3 comments:
This is a great essay. I especially liked your point that "Life is what you make of it and the meaning of life is not that same for everyone." I also liked the quote from George Sands!
The only thing I can think to argue is your paragraph about religion. You say that Christians must "fear God" and the meaning of life is to serve God. I feel this contradicts your point about happiness. How can someone be happy living in fear of and serving God, whom they have no proof of his existence. How could life be truly meaningful devoting it to fearing and serving someone else?
Also, you quote Silver when he says that no facts can dislodge people's faith in what they believe. But isn't that living a lie and a life in denial of the truth? When you have to deny that things are true to feel you are living a meaningful life, then you cannot truly be living a meaningful, happy life. I don't think this is what people are for.
Lauren Fisher
Dr. Adam Johns
ENGCMP 0200 – Seminar in Composition
October 5, 2008
What Are People For?
Why am I here? What am I here for? Few people know the answers to these two questions. Instead of thinking a good deal about this, most people just go on with their lives, attempting to find some meaning in their jobs, families, friends, or leisure time. However, few people find the meaning they’re looking for in these people and things alone. Most find their jobs tiresome and meaningless and only work to receive a paycheck. Some believe that retirement will make their lives better, but then they must deal with failing health, loneliness, and boredom. Even our own families and friends can be a source of disappointment. Relatives die, children grow up and move away, and friends can sometimes be disloyal. Still others search for meaning in recreational activities, such as watching mindless TV or playing a sport. So how do people find meaning in their lives? How do they realize and understand their role on this planet and in our society? Many different types of philosophies and religions try to answer these questions and get their followers to live their lives according to these already existing ideas. In my personal opinion, I believe that people’s roles are to love, to feel, and to enjoy the act of living.
There are many different types of modern philosophies that encompass a variety of views on the meaning of life, but the one that I agree with most is Existentialism. Existentialism focuses on the meaning that people create for their own lives. It also states that each man and each woman creates the essence, or meaning, of his and her life. Bill McKibben starts off his novel “Enough” with the example of him running a marathon. McKibben writes, “When it was done, I had a clearer sense of myself, of my power and my frailty. […] As meaningless as it was to the world, that’s how meaningful it was to me” (2). McKibben goes back to this example several times throughout his novel to show how running is one of the things that gives his life purpose and meaning. He later says that running “is one of the contexts I’ve created for myself, one of the things that order my life, fills it with metaphor and meaning” (McKibben 48). Also, “the point [of running] has to do with seeking out my limits, centering my attention: finding out who I am” (McKibben 49). Through this example we can see that people are often able to give their lives meaning by finding something that they’re passionate about. Through this creation of flow, people are able to obtain individual enlightenment and this creates meaning for their own lives. For me, singing is my passion. I may not be a professional singer and I don’t have realistic aspirations of starring on Broadway one day, but I do take great joy in singing in a choir and sharing my love of music with my peers. By using this passion, I am able to discover layers of myself that I never even knew existed and feel truly happy when I lose myself in song.
Another way people associate their role and purpose in life is through religion. Although I don’t know too much about it, I’ve learned that Christianity believes that God alone is the source of meaning in life and that He alone can bring genuine fulfillment to our work and relationships. Also, Christians must “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). Devout Christians believe that the true meaning of life, simply put, is to love and serve God. Some may argue that no one can be truly happy if they are living in fear of and serving God. However, the “fear of God” does not mean being “afraid” of God. “Fear” is Old English for: respect and attentive of. It means to respect Him and His laws. To fear God means to conduct life with the idea that He is always watching. Therefore a believer’s “fear” really means reverence of God.
In his novel, “Challenging Nature,” Lee M. Silver discusses many different religions, including fundamentalists. He writes, “A fundamentalist is a person who has absolute faith in the absolute truth of his or her convictions, so that no amount of factual data can ever dislodge them” (Silver 28). Some may wonder whether or not faith is ever a good enough reason to ignore facts. I think that faith, or belief, is often misunderstood. Faith has been defined as “believing in spite of there being nothing to believe” or “believing in spite of the evidence to the contrary.” Faith is believing in what we cannot prove. Although we should not completely ignore facts, we must also consider whether or not they affect the beliefs and faith that we hold to be true. If someone is so lost, or so deep, in their religion, then no amount of factual data is ever going to get them to change their minds or beliefs. Silver also reveals that “fundamentalism has a huge following in the United States, where 30 percent of adults believe ‘the Bible is the actual word of God and it is to be taken literally, word for word’” (Silver 29). This provides evidence that some religions rely solely on their religious text to show them how to live their lives meaningfully by having a strong connection to God.
My religion, Judaism, shares many similar values with Christianity. Judaism believes that the purpose of life is to serve God and to prepare for the world to come. Jews are taught to believe in a single, omniscient, omnipotent, omnibenevolent, transcendent God, who created the universe and governs it. Although I may not follow every single commandment that is in the Torah, I still consider myself connected with God. However, I am not an Orthodox Jew and I don’t believe that my own life’s meaning and my relationship with God necessarily go hand-in-hand. I observe many of the Jewish holidays and rituals but this has more to do with my religious upbringing than my need to find meaning in every aspect of my life through God.
Other people that don’t solely base their views on philosophies and religions might find their meaning of life through happiness. Happiness is at the heart of our lives and our demand for a meaning. Without happiness, life loses meaning. If you work a nine-to-five job everyday of your life but feel miserable doing it, then you are not living your life to its fullest potential and you are not happy. In addition, a life without love and friendship is a meaningless life. In my opinion, the meaning of life is given by love and friendship. George Sand, a French Romantic novelist, once wrote, “There is only one way of happiness, in life: to love and be loved.” I definitely agree with this quote. People are innately social and will often measure their level of happiness based on their social interactions with others. There is no greater feeling of loving someone, and being loved in return.
Personally, I am usually an optimistic person who tries to make my own life joyful and usually have a smile on my face. When I am with my friends or family and I feel happy, I feel like my life has a purpose and I am getting the most out of it. The worst thing to do is to watch your life pass you by and just be a bystander on the sidelines. Other people might find their true purpose in seeking wisdom and knowledge, or by doing the right thing. Education and righteousness are two important things to possess and can help lead to a happier existence. One possible counterargument is that “one should not seek to know and understand the meaning of life.” Some believe that the answer is too profound to be known and understood. Others believe that you will never live if you are constantly searching for your own meaning of life. Whether you do believe in a meaning of life or believe that you should not know, you will still be able to live your life with a purpose and to take pleasure in the act of living.
In short, the meaning of life is to make life meaningful. That’s it. If you do the things you like to do and feel alive when you’re running your 200th mile, then you have found purpose in your life. If you believe that God is your creator and you must follow each of his laws and teachings to find meaning in your life, then you have just avoided an empty life. If you feel most happy when you’re surrounded by your loved ones, then you are enjoying your life and having fun. There are a myriad of possible answers to the question “What is the meaning of life?” but the only answer that matters is the one that you believe. Life is what you make of it and the meaning of life is not the same for everyone. Every person is allowed to live their life as they want to. It is important to find the way that you want to live your life and live it like that. No one will tell you the meaning of your life for you, so you will just have to go out there and discover it for yourself.
Kate - your feedback was good, but very brief; I would have liked to see more thoughts along the same lines. Especially good point about the contradiction, though.
Lauren - I appreciate a good, depressing opening as much as anyone else. I thought your opening wasn't terribly focused, though, especially given the (apparent) lack of relationship between the opening sentences and the presumed thesis (which is itself somewhat vague - that's three idea, not one, which seems like a lot for a short paper).
I liked your second paragraph better. What troubles me is that I see no relationship - no flow, if you will - between the two. I think existentialism, as related to McKibben's running and your singing, is a good theme. But it's not quite an argument, and I don't understand how it relates to the opening.
Much of the rest of the paper seems scattered, with each paragraph being its own isolated topic - one on Christianity, one on Judaism, one on love. I undersant the connection: you are using these as examples of how people *find* meaning in their own individual way.
A skeptical reader might ask if this is any different, functionally, from inventing meaning. If we can find meaning anywhere we want, is that really so different from just inventing meaning out of desperation?
Here's a way of sharpening that critique. You call your point of view existentialist. You use the term loosely, which is ok to a point - most people do. But I should note that most philosophers who are labeled as existentialists (Sartre, Camus, often Nietzche, etc.) are strident atheists. There's a reason for this - they think that we need to define our own meaning precisely because we live in a godless world.
Let me put this all a different way. You are trying to do everything at once: use an atheistic philosophy to justify religion, have a dark, grim opening while classifying yourself as an optimist, argue three things instead of one - I could go on.
It's not that you can't do any of these things. You could, for instance, work with an understanding of existentialism that doesn't exclude religion - but you'd need to explain it. Or you could reconcile seemingly dark and bright worldviews - but you'd need to explain your choices.
Shortest version: most of the individual ideas here have appeal, and I can understand why Kate liked it so much. But it doesn't all hang together coherently.
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