There is always a person that one person that gets you to think critically. I had two. My sister is the first one and she is usually the one that turns my ideals on my head. The first time this happened was our conversation on capital punishment. I was just in high school and I had to write a paper on the subject. I was so certain of my stance that I bragged about it to her. My view back then was that taking a life for a life accomplishes nothing: an eye for an eye leaves the world blind. I truly believed this.I also thought it is better that we forgive and move on with our lives. I wasn't really religious; I just believed that forgiveness was the way we could stop the chain of violence. I had seen what hate has done to my grandmother. My grandfather left her for someone else and she has never forgave him. I have seen her become bitter and alone; that's why I say it is better to just let it go. If you don't let it go, it becomes part of you. A poison to the soul. But my sister pointed out to me that she would want to see my death avenged if she were ever put in that position. "How would you feel if someone killed me? Would you feel forgiveness? No you would feel anger and you would want to see justice done." She got me to understand that forgiveness is not an easy thing to achieve. Its not as easy as 1,2,3. She got me to understand this. By her statement, it got me to see that displaying forgiveness is a greater display of inner strength than righteous anger. I let myself listen and I learned something new. I would not change this conversation at all. Sometimes going back and trying to change things is more detrimental than helpful. Its better to shape the future tan try and change the past.
The other conversation was recent. My classmate was writing a philosophy paper and she began to speak about it. Her big question was "Why do we exist?" I responded arrogantly, that we are here to reproduce and survive. She kind of through me for a loop when she said, "Yeah, well do you know why?" I paused because I really didn't know. I am not as fast on my feet as other people but I really started thinking, "why?" When I finally came up with an answer, the class was over. I had been getting cocky because of a knowledge high I was currently in. I was proud of how much I have grown as a student but her simple question helped me realize that I still had a lot to learn. I am going to thank her next class because she humbled me and I believe that is essential in the pursuit of knowledge. I would not change our conversation.
I did come up with an answer for the existence question. My answer is this: everything strives for life and sometimes there is no sense to the world. Is there any reason we need arm hairs? Is there any reason that there is evil in the world? Is there a point to anything we do? I know it is a bit nihilistic but is there a reason for anything? However, I honestly think that everything strives for life because anything is better than solitude. I believe we aim to survive and reproduce so that we are not alone in the universe. Lonelinss has power.
This was so interesting. I've always wondered about capital punishment. Why do we kill people to show people that killing people is wrong? I like your sister's idea the an eye for an eye only leaves the world blind. I am religious and I am familiar with the "eye for an eye is in the Bible" thought, but many people don't understand that the eye for an eye rule is part of the old set of laws, which were made obsolete by Jesus dying on the cross. Vengeance has been made unnecessary by forgiveness.
ReplyDeleteAlso, because I am religious, I believe that the answer to why we exist is because God created us and my purpose, as a Christian, is to serve him and tell others about him. It's amazing how any self-confidence and personal identity problems go out the window when you have an answer, any answer to "Why do we exist?". Many people strive to better their lives, through money, through experiences, and through relationships. I think that meaningful relationships are the only true and lasting for of happiness. And I think that happiness is what gives a person's life meaning. No one wants to be meaningless, an no one wants to be lonely.